Stay With Me
by Kyarei
Summary: But Itachi would gladly risk his life, if it meant protecting his brother. After all these years, Sasuke was still waiting for him. "Hang on, Sasuke," Lemons. Yaoi. Incest.
1. For My Sake

Stay With Me

~Chapter One – For My Sake~

~~~*~~~

"_Nii-san!"_

"_Yes, Otouto?"_

"_Come play with me? Please?"_

"_I have a mission to attend to,"_

_A jab in the forehead…_

"_Maybe next time, okay?"_

"_..You always say that.."_

_Broken promises… but I knew you really loved me._

"_I know, but I promise, okay? We'll play when I get back."_

_I don't want you to go. You might not come back._

"_Okay…"_

_Even if you do come back, you'll just ignore me, anyways._

"_I'll be seeing you."_

"_Be safe, Nii-san…"_

_But I still love you most._

XXX

A sigh escaped my frozen lips, and I vaguely noticed the steam that rose from my breath. It was a cold winter morning, Mid-December, and the streets were bustling with crowds of eager civilians.

Maybe it would snow again today, too. It'd been a long time since we'd had so much snowfall here in Konoha.

I remembered when we used to run outside and play in this sort of weather. It's melancholy to me now – but back then it was my favourite thing in the world; when he and I would spend all day outside together.

Just the two of us.

As I sat on the roof of the apartment in which I lived, I watched swarms of people move about the streets and clutter together, a sense of cheer and anticipation drifting in the air.

My skin was pale, and bitterly cold. I ignored it; I hadn't had a winter coat in almost four years. There was no need to waste money on one now, winter was never usually this cold, and my thick hooded sweater more than sufficed.

Sitting still, and in deep silence eventually gets to everyone. With that thought in mind, I stood, and jumped down into the street among the hordes of people. Though I tried and avoid the larger crowds, the sudden frenzy of voices served its purpose in distracting me momentarily from my thoughts.

Five years. It was more than five years ago, I returned home from the academy to find my home in ruin and cold slaughter.

My world had shattered that day. Everything I was, everything I wanted to be, had been murdered along with my family.

And all that I am now, is nothing but the broken pieces… that were left behind.

XXX

"_Are you cold, Sasuke?"_

_The morning air bit at my skin. Frost lined the edges of the outside of all the windows; it was a cold winter morning. I nodded meekly._

"_Here, wear this so you don't get sick. It's cold today."_

_He draped the heavy blanket over my shoulders as I nudged my head further into his chest, relishing in the comforting moment._

"_I don't have any missions today. I said next time I'd play with you, right?"_

_I couldn't help the bright smile that spread across my face, excitement building up._

"_I want to make a snow-angel with you, Nii-san."_

XXX

The snow that was piling up was steadily becoming deeper. I took note of how much had fallen since yesterday as my feet trampled it down, leaving prints behind me with each step.

There were no missions today, nor group training taking place. It's a pretty safe bet to say Naruto is either practicing on his own or at the Ramen shop. Probably both. If Kakashi wasn't on some important Jounin mission then he was training or reading his stupid orange book. Sakura would probably be doing many pointless things of no interest, as usual.

Another sigh escaped me as boredom fully set it. I lost almost complete awareness of where I was going until a familiar sign caught my eye.

'Uchiha Complex'

Glancing at the sign and then the gates of the complex, I silently cursed myself for being careless and letting my feet take me wherever they wanted.

A quick 'hello' couldn't hurt.

I didn't bother to stop at my old house or any of the other buildings as I made my way through the dull, lifeless streets. The only place that was worth visiting was in the back, away from the broken homes and unwanted houses.

The graveyard.

I slowly walked up and down the aisles of graves, brushing off the pile of snow upon each stone. As I made my way up and down the rows of dozens of graves, I temporarily let my guard down like I did every time I came here.

My gloved hands brush against the smooth, hard surface of each grave that I swept, and I took little pride in noticing that I could almost name every person buried here. Almost.

And when I at last approached the graves of my Mother and Father I stopped, and knelt down to be eye level with the names engraved on the stones.

"Hey Mom, Dad. I came to see you…"

I whispered it softly, and to myself. I didn't care if they heard it or not. It's comforting for me, at the least.

Closing my eyes and bowing my head, I think to myself the same prayer and vow I always do, relieving a bit of my anxiety.

And as usual, I let myself wander back to the vault in which I store all my memories, and the first memories I dig out involve me, and my older brother.

XXX

"_Itachi, come over here. I need to speak with you,"_

_Our father hollered from the front entrance, interrupting Itachi and I as we were about to begin our snow-angel._

"_Okay," Itachi called back, standing up._

"_I'll be right back, okay? Start without me and we'll finish it together when I come back."_

_I wanted to protest as Itachi walked away, but I kept silent knowing that it was the more mature thing to do._

_After waiting for a few minutes, Itachi finally came back outside, an apparent frown etched upon his features._

_Of course, I hadn't moved since he left. I wanted to make this snow-angel with Itachi entirely – so that it would be our creation._

"_Sasuke…"_

_I looked up at him slightly surprised. He hardly ever called me by my name – and he sounded strange when he said it, too._

_He closed his eyes and sighed, before sitting down in the cold snow next to me and looking me in the eyes,_

"_Father insists that I go on a mission with him. He wants us to leave immediately."_

_My heart sank._

_What point is there in believing Itachi? I knew he'd never keep his promise._

_Looking down at the ground, I knew my face was set in a deep scowl, my eyes narrowing into a glare that looked more sad than angry._

"_I'm sorry, Otouto. We can play later. I won't be gone long."_

_Standing up, I looked Itachi in the eyes as my glare deepened._

"_Just forget it, Itachi! Why don't you ever pay any attention to __**me**__?!"_

_I turned and ran as fast as I could, considering the heavy snow clinging to me and the weight of my heavy, damp clothes._

_Screw maturity. _

XXX

Standing up with a sigh, I began to make my way back to the complex.

I didn't want to be here any longer.

But a sudden sound stopped me – a rustling, and a twig snapping.

As I came to a halt, I scanned the area for the source, my eyes darting around suspiciously.

Nobody around.

The graveyard is surrounded by a thicket of trees, and only one path leading to and away from it that takes you back to the complex.

But someone was here. I could feel it.

My eyes gazed around me once more, before I decided to shrug it off and keep going. Whoever they were, they wouldn't be much of a threat now that my guard was up.

Entering the mouth of the long, thin trail, I grew slightly more anxious with each passing second. I could feel eyes on me, and I knew that there's someone following me. I casually stuck my hands into my pockets, my right hand clutching the cold, smooth metal of my kunai's hilt.

A gust of wind brushed past me somewhat forcefully, causing my body to shiver and tense. I looked up at the dark, looming clouds overhead that had started to send drops of white, frozen water softly spiraling down.

Standing still for moment, I kept my eyes glued to the flakes that were slowly heading down towards me. The cold, ironic burn they caused on my skin as they land and melt on my cheeks and face was surreal, yet somewhat expected.

XXX

_I come to a halt soon after my mad dash. I'm far from home now. Far from Itachi. It's always like this! He never keeps his promises… every time he says we'll spend time together, something else comes up and wrecks it!_

_And every time he promises me… I believe him._

_Panting heavily from my run, I plopped down in the snow with my back against a tree. I was in the small forest surrounding the Uchiha Compound, but no one could find me here. Not that anyone's going to come looking._

_The snow fell gently; the soft, white drops clutched to my frozen cheeks and melted, leaving a light burning sensation behind. I loved the snow… it was always so comforting - so special, yet so ordinary…_

_I closed my eyes and rested the back of my head against the tree. It was getting dark now – the sky was covered in heavy, black clouds that veiled the stars, making it feel later in the day than it was._

_How many minutes had passed before I opened my eyes again, only to find my body completely enclosed in snow?_

_I really didn't want to run from Nii-san, but… it seemed that he could never find any time for me anymore._

_Was I… becoming a hindrance…?_

_Tears welled and pooled at the corners of my eyes, so I closed them to prevent the drops from falling._

_As quickly as they had closed, they snapped open at the sound of a familiar voice calling my name._

"_Sasuke,"_

_I looked up and into my brother's eyes, unable to hold back the tears any longer._

"_Let's go."_

XXX

Making my way briskly through the complex, my anxiety level was sharply rising. The sense of being followed lingered heavily around me, causing my composure to falter slightly as I continued to walk down the empty streets.

Knowing that the sooner I could get home the safer I'd be, I made my way towards the edge of the compound; where the forest was.

I'd make my way through the forest then over the estate wall – from there, it was only a few blocks back to my apartment.

Nostalgia laid a heavy burden on my mind as I ventured through the small woods. Unable to suppress my wandering mind, I became lost in my thoughts once again, until I came to a sudden halt, realizing that this was the exact place from my forceful memories.

The same snow-covered Earth, the same dark sky, the same soft snowflakes floating to their deaths. The same tree.

The same place.

Heading towards the tree, I masked myself in the memories that I had banished from my mind so many years ago.

And as I sat in the cold snow, my back pressed to the slowly freezing bark and my head resting against it, I felt ambiguous.

Neither complete, nor lacking completion. Just… alone.

Closing my eyes, a small, sad smile spread across my frozen lips - daring God to strike me now with his wrath and end this pathetic attempt of mine at living.

But the same sound as before again snapped me out of my makeshift bliss.

A twig was once again snapped to alert me. How many innocent pieces of vegetation was this guy going to mutilate?

My eyes remained closed, even when I heard footsteps approach from in front of me. Even when my mind screamed for me to throw the kunai that I was still tightly grasping, and protect myself. To save myself.

No, I didn't open them. Not until I heard his voice, saying my name. Saying it to me; for me, for my sake.

"Sasuke,"

My eyes opened then, quite shocked. Surprised; startled, even afraid. I gaped at him, standing in front of me, draped in a silken robe of black adorned with red clouds; his hair tied back, half of his face hidden from me. His expression blank – his eyes burning into my head like a bullet.

And all I could do was stare, horrified, stricken with grief and loneliness. Hating my mind for playing such a harsh trick on me – hating all the Gods in the world for their cruelty, hating my brother with all the power I could muster.

Refusing to believe that he was really standing before me now. Denying that he could have called my name like he used to – rejecting the possibility of this actually happening.

He would never have come back for me.

But he smiled a small smile; I could tell from the way his eyes softened. He looked at me thoughtfully, either uncaring or unaware of how he was ripping apart the fabrics of my mind, pushing me further into insanity, making me doubt the last five years of my life.

Making me doubt my own existence.

I looked up at him, scared, hurt, angry, confused… it seemed all my emotions were swelling together like a whirlwind inside my head, making it spin and fill me with a sense of dizziness.

"Let's go."

XXX

"_What about your mission?"_

_I asked, somewhat bitterly, not yet moving from my spot in the snow._

_He sighed quietly and knelt down to be eye level with me, making sure I was looking at him and paying attention._

"_I refused Father, so I could come find you."_

_My eyes widened, but not from happiness or shock. Brother gave up an important mission for me? Because I had thrown a tantrum? _

_Because I had… burdened him again…?_

_I looked down, anything to hide my face from him. I couldn't face him now – not after what I did._

"_I- I'm sorry, Nii-san…"_

_It was a whisper, and it was followed by cold tears cascading down my cheeks, chilling my skin as the cool wind whipped at them._

_Itachi's expression softened, his smile holding a sense of concern. He placed his hand atop my head, gently ruffling my hair. I brought my hands up to wipe at my eyes with my coat sleeves, as Itachi scooped me into his arms and stood, cradling my frozen, drenched and trembling body against himself; his heat instantly melting away my heart's pain, and drying my tears._

_I clutched helplessly to my brother's coat, grasping onto him for dear life. I didn't want him to leave, to go anywhere, or to ever leave my side._

"_Don't cry, Sasuke. It's alright,"_

"_B-but…"_

_He brought his hand up to rest against my cheek, and angled my head so I was looking at him._

_He smiled then, and leaned in, his warm, soft lips touching gently to my freezing forehead._

_I blushed slightly at the small contact, embarrassed and a little confused._

_He whispered, with that same warm smile still on his face,_

"_It's alright, Otouto. I forgive you."_

_And I found myself smiling along with him, reveling in this moment, cherishing the Angel that was my brother._

_Praying that nothing would ever interrupt us, he carried me home._

_And I couldn't help but feel sleep tug at my eyelids, as the night had fully begun now, and I was warm and safe, in my brother's arms._

_Leaning up briefly to return Itachi's kiss, I shyly pressed my lips to his cheek, and whispered happily before falling asleep,_

"_I love you, Nii-san."_


	2. Together

Stay With Me

~Chapter Two – Together~

~~~*~~~

I looked up at him, stunned. What the hell was this bastard playing at?

"Let's go?" I asked, in disbelief.

"You really expect me to go _anywhere_ with you, after all you've done?!"

I was standing now, glaring hatefully into Itachi's eyes, trying to seem much braver than I really was.

Clenching my fists together painfully, I swung my arm at him, aiming for that smug face.

He caught my wrist with ease, the collar of his shirt lowering from the movement, allowing me to see the frown that had replaced the smile, and how his eyes seemed to darken ever so slightly – for only a moment.

I ground my teeth together and scowled, attempting to wrench my hand free from his grasp, in vain.

"What the hell do you want?! After all this time, after everything you did, you still dare to show up and order me around?! Who the _hell_ do you think you are?!"

I screamed. In anger, frustration, hurt, despair, how could he not see the agony he was causing me?

How could he not give a damn?

His grip loosened, but remained firm, and held me in place.

"Sasuke, you have to come with me. We have to leave Konoha, _now._"

The sun's light shining in my eyes quivered, as I desperately attempted to make sense of everything he was saying.

"No, _you _have to leave. _I'm_ staying here." I defied him, standing my ground despite the protests that my logical mind was giving.

He sighed, and I could see the steam from his warm breath rise and then dissipate. He looked deep into my eyes, his Sharingan flaring. I subconsciously took a step backwards, even though his hand still held me in place by my wrist. The soft sound of the snow crunching underneath my feet was the last thing I heard, before his figure was on top of me, and a sharp pain wracked my head from the base of my neck before, darkness.

XXX

_Early January morning, I lay sprawled out on my older brother's bed. He'll be coming home soon. He said he would._

_Smiling softly to myself, I bask in the scent of my brother's sheets. I take comfort in the smell, though the bed feels cold without my brother lying in it next to me._

_I sit up abruptly when the screen door slides open; a wide and innocent smile spread across my face._

"_Welcome home, Nii-san!" I move to sit on the edge of his bed, still smiling up at him._

_Itachi smiles back at me tenderly, as he enters his own domain, sliding the paper door firmly shut behind him._

"_Thank you, Otouto. How have you been?" He stands in front of his closet, facing the wall, as his swift hands pull at the edge of his Jounin uniform, peeling it from his torso._

"_I'm good," I say shyly, a blush creeping across my face. He turns to look at me, chest completely bare, and smirks at the look of awe in my eyes. I observe his body carefully, delicately, trying to memorize every fine detail of his well-toned upper body. _

_Not entirely realizing how much I was staring, I was rather shocked when Itachi came forward and stood directly in front of me. Looking up timidly into his piercing eyes, I was both relieved and unnerved by his penetrating gaze._

"…_?" I continued to look up at him in slight confusion and wonder, until his hand outstretched and gently clasped the baby-smooth skin of my cheek and jaw. Slightly more intimidated by this, I opened my mouth for inquiry, but was silenced with shock when my brother's soft, warm lips pressed against my forehead. He seemed to be showing more affection for me as of late. What did it mean?_

_My blush came back, considerably darker. I closed my eyes as he moved lower, kissing my cheek and then my jaw. A small, confused whimper barely made it past my lips, when I felt him next kiss my mouth. I kept my eyes closed tightly; I didn't understand what was going on. Itachi moved away and placed both hands on my shoulders, hesitating for only a moment. He gently pushed me onto my back, as I lay underneath him, on his bed which no longer felt so cold._

"_I missed you, Sasuke."_

XXX

The first thing my mind registered was warmth, and dryness. I could tell that I was no longer outside; whatever I was laying on felt soft and cozy. A bed?

Easing my eyes open, I winced at the surge of pain emanating from the base of my skull. Shit, it felt like a migraine. I stared up at the familiar while ceiling, not recognizing it at first. The sound of ruffling material snapped me out of my daze, and I identified the room to be my own. I was back in my apartment, in my bed, wearing nothing but my t-shirt and boxers.

Startled and suddenly on guard, I turned to the source of the noises. Panic flooded through every portion of my being, and I jumped up from the bed, searching my body for the weapons that I had previously secured.

They were gone.

Itachi stood, leaning over my open chest of drawers, rummaging through the small amount of clothing that I had encased there. Occasionally he through a garment or two onto the bed, which I noticed was covered in all sorts of things I possessed.

My travelling cloak was laid out on my sheets, and beside it was my big pack that I used for long missions. My kunai holster and shuriken pouch were there also, as well as the very limited amount of clothing.

"What the hell are you doing?" My voice sounded anxious and weary, instead of demanding and fierce like I had hoped. Itachi didn't turn to look at me or acknowledge me in any way, which only further fueled my impending rage.

"I already told you," he said calmly, as stoic as ever. "We have to leave. And since you're obviously going to be a stubborn baby about it, I'm packing for you." He began to neatly fold and pile the clothes inside the bag, leaving room for other possible necessities, like a flashlight and my wallet.

I growled and clenched my fists tightly at my sides. Glaring with the entire venomous wrath I had, I approached the side of the bed where Itachi stood, and even though he wasn't looking at me, I straightened my back with arrogant confidence.

"I'm not going with you." My voice was strong and absolute, though Itachi only gave me a slightly displeased look as he turned to face me.

"I'm not giving you a choice, Sasuke."

"Fuck you!" I yelled, my sharingan seeped into my retinas; as if I could possibly intimidate Itachi. I held out my clenched fists in front of me, challenging him to try and take me by force.

"Do you want me to knock you out again?" He mused, his elegant eyebrow arching just slightly at the idea.

"Go ahead and try, you traitorous fucker!" I sneered. I would have lunged at him again, but I figured it wouldn't do much good. I was no match for Itachi, and we both knew it. So I settled for merely glaring, shifting my body into a defensive stance. The constant throbbing in my head made it hard to stand or keep my eyes open, but I was willing to endure it if it meant getting rid of Itachi.

In a millionth of a second, Itachi was gone. Vanished, without a single trace. I blinked multiple times, wondering if I had gone crazy. He had been there, _right there_, and then he wasn't. He just disappeared. How is that possible?

"What a foul mouth you have, little brother. Where did you learn words like that?"

And I could have screamed, though I gasped instead. He was behind me, so close that my back was lightly brushed against his chest and lower stomach. He had moved so fast that I couldn't even register that he had moved at all. Was he showing off, or am I really just that pathetic compared to him?

Anger pulsed through my blood.

"You're little brother died, five years ago. My older brother died, too. You massacred them… all of them. Remember that?"

My voice was small. I sounded conquered, like all of a sudden all my rage melted into a bitter sadness. My clenched fists trembled slightly as I brought them to my sides. Itachi just stayed standing silently behind me, his lack of motion making me hard to believe that he was still there. Maybe I really was going crazy?

He didn't try to comfort me, not like he would have done five years ago. He didn't pull me onto his lap and caress my head gently. He didn't whisper soothing words in my ear. He didn't lay me on my back and kiss my cheeks, while his hands tenderly ran up and down my chest beneath my shirt.

Nothing was the way it used to be. Things were… sinful between us back then. I hadn't been completely aware about it, but eventually I realized. What Itachi and I had done was deplorable. Siblings were never meant to touch each other so intimately. That didn't seem to matter to Itachi, and I had been too young to understand it.

We came close to committing the ultimate sin.

And I would've been okay with it if we had.

Itachi placed his hand on my cheek, from behind. I wanted to push it away, I wanted to destroy him for what he had done, and I wanted him to know the despair I had known. I didn't want him here, not while I was still too weak to kill him.

But I didn't pull away from his caress, as his hand moved down my neck, and stopped below my collarbone.

"Your heart's beating quite fast, little brother. Are you scared," He leaned down over me, his soft, warm lips gently brushing against my cheek, causing blood to rush to my face. I held in a gasp, or was it a sigh? I didn't want him to see me react to his touches. I didn't want him to touch me.

"Or excited?" he kissed my jaw, his hands coming back up to turn my face towards him, as he angled his head to softly touch our lips together. I was surprised, but even though my mind told me too, I didn't pull away.

I should have. I shouldn't have been in my bedroom, with the man who coldly murdered my family, with my _older brother_, kissing like we were lovers. As if we had ever been in love.

To my relief, he pulled away after only a moment. I hadn't kissed back, but my body responded to it nonetheless. I'd felt the tingle of pleasure pulse through every muscle in my body, keeping me from pulling away. Damn hormones.

He moved away from me and glided back over to my bag, which he continued to fill with belongings. I stood there, feeling oddly out of place, like I was small child again who was in the way. I hated nostalgia.

He buckled the flap closed, and handed me my cloak. "Get dressed, put this on, and fasten your weapons. We're leaving in five minutes. Use the bathroom if you need to, but be quick. We've wasted too much time here." And I knew that he was being, for whatever reason, deadly urgent. Although his calm demeanor was still in tact, Itachi never felt the need to hurry, unless it was a critical situation. What happened that got him so hasty?

Sensing my confusion and reluctance, he calmly said, "I'll explain everything on the way, but we need to hurry. I'll wait for you at the front door. Don't try anything stupid, we haven't the time for it. Now get ready." And he left, without bothering to close the door. I knew that attempting to escape would only make this worse, so I obediently dressed and hooked my cloak around my shoulders, overtop of my backpack. It must have looked ridiculous, but I doubted Itachi would really care.

With my weapons secure and in place, I went to my dresser and grabbed my final accessory: my hitai-ate leaf headband. It was obvious that we were leaving Konoha, but that didn't mean I was going to become a rogue ninja like Itachi. I fully intended on returning once he told me what the hell this was all about. So, with a tedious amount of pride, I tied the dark clothe strips around my forehead, and headed for the door.

XXX

_I lay awake in bed that night. Two weeks ago, Itachi had kissed me. He had lain on top of me, while his hands rubbed my chest beneath my shirt, and he had kissed my face and neck so tenderly. I didn't understand why he had done that, or what it meant, but I felt that it didn't really matter; I had never felt like that before. I had never felt loved like that before. It was different than being embraced or kissed by Mom, who was the only one, who ever kissed me._

_And the way my skin tingled wherever he touched me was incredible. It had felt so good, that I didn't want him to pull away. It was so slow, and loving, and warm, that it didn't matter if it was right or wrong. How could something like that be wrong? How could feeling loved ever be a sin? Did it really matter if we were brothers?_

_I knew the answer to that, though. Even if it didn't matter to us, to anyone else, it would be something evil. But that was only because they didn't understand how it felt. The people who would shun and hate us didn't understand love._

_Suddenly feeling cold and tensed, I unwrapped the blankets from around my body and slid off my bed. I wanted to see Itachi._

_As I crept down the hall quietly, I wondered if he was already asleep. Mom and Dad were already in bed; what if I woke him up? I pushed the thought away when I reached his door. I just wanted to see him._

_I slowly grasped the handle curve in the sliding door, and without warning, began to pull it open. I opened it enough to peek in, and to my relief, Itachi was awake. He sat on his bed, focusing on a book he was holding, while a very small candle burned on his bedside table._

_Noticing the intrusion, Itachi glanced up unsurprised and looked me in the eyes._

"_Yes, otouto?" he inquired, closing his book and setting it on the small table. "What's wrong, couldn't sleep?" He asked, slipping his legs over the side of the bed, preparing to get up if it proved necessary._

_Noticing this, I opened the door a little wider and entered the room, sliding it closed behind me quietly. I walked further in the room, until I was almost standing next to him and the bed._

"_I was just, uhm… I wanted to see you," I confessed, as a blush covered my cheeks. I kept my eyes on the floor, suddenly not knowing what I was supposed to say to Itachi._

_But Itachi had already guessed why, and he smiled tenderly to me as he pulled me onto the bed. I made myself comfortable on his lap, while his hands began to very gently stroke my back. I let a contented sigh escape my lips, as I snuggled further into the crook of his neck. The candlelight made the shadows dance over the walls, and as I looked up and into my beloved Nii-san's eyes, I saw that his face was bathed in the warmest light I'd ever seen._

_And I knew then, that it was _they_ who were wrong. Sin or not, this was right. This was how it was meant to be for us. Nothing had ever been clearer to me, I loved Itachi. I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life, regardless of who accepted it. And I felt like he would let me._

_I leaned up, closing my eyes, and pressed my lips to his as he had done before. He didn't seem to hesitate, but it may have startled him. I pulled back and we looked into each other's eyes, for only a moment, before he leaned down and kissed me again. His lips moved gently against mine, and I responded by mirroring his actions. My hands ran up and down his chest overtop his shirt, while his hands strayed under my shirt and caressed my lower back. _

_I was content with sitting here like this all night long, until I felt my eyelids drooping with exhaustion. It was late, and I had school tomorrow, but I didn't want to sleep, I wanted to stay with Itachi; I didn't want to go back to my room yet._

_Itachi, however, saw how I was fighting to stay awake, and he smiled warmly at me. He lied down on his side, and pulled me close to his chest. My head was nestled against his arm, and my body was curled up against his torso. He pulled the blankets over us after blowing out the candle, then wrapped an arm loosely over my waist. I closed my eyes as a blissful smile overtook my features. Yes, _this_ was right._

_He kept rubbing soothing circles over my back as he rested his head protectively above mine on the pillow. Listening to the sound of his heartbeat, I decided that it was the sweetest thing to fall asleep to._

_And as I felt the darkness pulling me into slumber, I told myself that we'd always be together, no matter what happened._

_And I wish that wasn't a lie._


	3. The Forgotten Dream

Stay With Me

~Chapter 3 – The Forgotten Dream ~

~~~*~~~

"Itachi, what the hell's going on?" I asked as we darted through the trees, moving at a very swift pace. I was having quite a bit of difficulty keeping up with him, and he noticed. But even with the trouble I was having, he said we couldn't afford to slow down anymore, though he had yet to tell me _why_.

"Can you at least tell me where we're going? We've been moving for over an hour," I complained as we kept up the seemingly unnecessary fast velocity. The muscles in my legs began to burn with the repetitive jumping movement.

"We're leaving the Land of Fire," He replied, "We have to keep moving at this speed for the next few hours, until I can be sure that our trackers will have a hard time finding us," he said, calmly. Even though I was behind him, he knew just the right volume his voice needed to be for me to hear.

"Leaving the Land of Fire? That will take days," I insisted. The snow was still steadily falling, and the wind against my face chilled my skin to a painful point of numbness. The frost clung to every tree branch I used for propulsion, making them slippery and possibly fatal. I didn't think my body could handle moving at this speed and under these conditions for a _few hours_; I would most likely pass out from exhaustion before then. And, knowing Itachi, we would probably keep going, only at a slower pace.

"It will be difficult for you," Itachi admitted, "But we must keep going until dusk, at the least. Then we can find shelter for the night. I don't expect you to keep this up for the next few hours; we'll stop for a short break in a little while. If you must, take a soldier pill. You brought some, did you not?" He inquired through his tree-bounding, relentless in speed and strength.

I felt the same wave of nostalgia pulse through my body. That was my brother, the Itachi from before five years ago. I realized then, with a small sense of excitement, that this was the first time I had ever travelled with my brother, and it was something like a mission. Something that I used to fantasize about in my childhood; my brother and I, two great ninja, going on a deadly mission together somewhere far away – fighting side-by-side against some powerful enemy, yet easily overcoming them – camping out beneath a cloudless sky, one of us resting whilst the other kept watch.

Yes, that had been a dream and a goal of mine once, but I had forgotten it long ago. Suddenly feeling bitter, I glared at the negative space in front of me. It's simply ironic; that that dream would come true under these bizarre circumstances; after everything that had happened between us.

XXX

"_Ah… aaah, Nii-san…!" I moaned as Itachi sucked gently on the base of my neck, not hard enough to leave a mark. This was the furthest we had ever gone. The two of us were shirtless, and this time we were on my bed._

_It was months ago that we had started touching each other like this. It seemed as though we went further and further each time, or our "sessions" lasted longer than before._

_But recently, it had been happening less often. Itachi was so busy with ANBU missions that he was only home on days when I was at the academy, so we hardly even saw each other anymore. I told myself that I didn't mind too much, because Itachi and I were both training to be great shinobi, and that was more important._

_But I didn't really think that, deep down. I felt like it shouldn't take priority to our time together, but of course, it did. And it's not like I had anyone to complain too; Itachi couldn't do anything about it, and no one was ever allowed to know._

_So it was special, that we both had this day off to spend together. Dad was on a mission, and Mom went to the store. As I looked up into his eyes, his body hovering over me, I couldn't help but smile. This was so blissful – being in his arms again. Feeling love again._

_I leaned up and chastely pressed my lips to his, my hands clutching his forearms firmly to keep me up. He returned my smile against my lips, and laid me down again to deepen the kiss. His hands went lower to caress my hips, where my pants still clung around my waist._

_I moaned again into the kiss, my legs spreading wide as Itachi rested comfortably between them. His body felt so much bigger than mine, as he pulled back and looked directly into my eyes, completely level with me, and his lower stomach was nestled between my legs._

_I was still smiling. Things had never been this good between us. Maybe we just missed each other too much not to be completely contented by this. The reason didn't matter; Itachi was here with me, in my arms, kissing and caressing me again, and I was only thankful for the opportunity._

XXX

As soon as the sun began to set, Itachi found a small cavern beneath the rock coves. The snow had stopped falling a while ago, but the temperature seemed to drop, and as we were no longer moving, I felt my body begin to cool down rapidly. Everything started to feel numb.

With no dry wood around for miles, it would be exceedingly difficult to start a fire. But Itachi seemed ready for that, and instead, he had me pull out the bedroll from my pack. We both laid on it, and he removed his cloak, laying it overtop of us. I didn't feel unnerved until his arms pulled me against his chest, both of us on our sides and facing each other. I felt the heat from his body course through my being, and reluctantly snuggled further into him seeking warmth.

Itachi seemed pleased that I didn't pull away from him. So, indulging, he pulled me as close as was possible, and rested his head atop mine like he always used to when we were kids.

I was surprised by the familiar action, remembering how I always smiled whenever Itachi and I were close like this. Recalling all the intimate things we had done, I felt my face immediately redden, and to my horror, a surge of pleasure jolt through me.

But that wasn't from the memories, no, that was because Itachi had begun stroking my back, like he always used to. I kept my body rigid as he continued running his hand along my back, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of being able to sedate me.

But when his torturous caressing went further, and he tried to go beneath my heavy outdoor sweater, I gasped and arched against him.

"Wh-What are you doing?" I inquired with a shaky breath, my hands tightly grasping the front of his shirt, as his cold hand ran over my equally cold back. He breathed deeply against my scalp, as his other hand wrapped around me from underneath me and seized my shoulder, as if trying to prevent me from pulling away.

"Sasuke," he murmured quietly, continuing to touch me, "you're so cold, we have to get you warmed up or you'll get sick," it felt like an excuse, but it was true. I narrowed my eyes in annoyance against his neck,

"Well it's your fault I'm out here in the first place," I reminded him with an irked voice. I was about to tell him to take responsibility, but I stopped myself. My pride told me I didn't need his help, that I would be fine. The smarter side of myself also reminded me that there wasn't a whole lot he could do about it. So, I stayed quiet.

"Hmm," Itachi hummed thoughtfully, taking my response without offence, but as a challenge. "Well, then, I should make amends to you, now shouldn't I?" and in an instant, he had rolled us both over, and was hovering above me, a lustful gaze in his eyes. "Would you like that, Sasuke?" He leaned down and gently kissed my neck, then my cheek, before pulling back slightly.

I breathed a bit heavier; Itachi's weight was fully pressed against my chest. Although it made it a bit harder to breathe, it spread a comfortable warmth throughout most of my body. When I finally registered that he had spoken again, all I could do was nod my head slowly, still gazing up at him with curiosity and my own sense of desire.

Itachi smirked and leaned down again, pressing his lips gently against mine. I closed my eyes, heat rising to my cheeks. He pulled back for only a moment, glanced at my expression, then leaned in to take my lips again, satisfied.

My sharp intake of breath told him how surprised I was when he ran his tongue over my mouth. I kept my eyes closed as his tongue lapped against my lips. Not knowing what else to do, I opened my mouth, and felt his tongue slip eagerly inside. It caressed every inch it touched, and I knew Itachi was pleased when I began to move my tongue against his.

His hands strayed beneath my shirt, and began to stroke the taut skin of my stomach. They began to move higher, roaming casually over my nipples, bringing them instantly to life. Desire burned within me, as I felt the immediate need to be close with him. It had never been this way when we were younger; I had never needed him so badly.

I felt my pants tighten as my craving became stronger, and I knew Itachi felt it too, with the way he was laying on me. He sat up and studied my face, and for a moment I thought he would reproach me. But he smirked instead, and began to peel my sweater and undershirt from my torso. Once my chest was bare, he kissed my cheek, then my jaw, and then the pulse on my neck. I inhaled sharply again as kissed slowly, lovingly, _teasingly_ down my body, making my flesh tingle and tremble with yearning.

"Mm, Sasuke," He purred, his hands toying with the waistband of my cold, damp trousers, "It's been so long, you have no idea-" and he paused abruptly to kiss my navel, "-how much I've thought about you – about this. It's been so long," and suddenly, I felt angry. Itachi had felt the same way? He had missed and desired and despaired for me as I had him? Then, why-

"Why didn't you take me with you?" I bit out, my voice cracking with the build up of years' worth of pain and suffering. Itachi moved back up the length of my body, and looked at me questioningly in the eyes.

"I… was miserable without you," and my body began to tremble as I kept the tears at bay. I lifted my hands and placed them on his chest, preventing him from caressing me any further with that damn mouth of his. I didn't want him to corrupt me with his lies; I didn't want him to invade my mind like he always did, and break me down from the inside out.

I didn't want to be so defeated.

And Itachi was defeating me, more and more each day.

XXX

"_Sasuke," Itachi's voice whispered gently, "Otouto, wake up. It's morning,"_

_I opened my eyes groggily and stared into the piercing eyes of my brother, who stood above me, hovering. I smiled at him as I rubbed my eyes with one hand, remembering how yesterday I had fallen asleep in his arms._

_Itachi returned my smile. My heart skipped a beat at the beautiful, glowing face of my brother. My brother, my love, my perfection. My everything._

_Itachi bent over and lifted me from the bed, cradling me against his warm figure. I sighed and kissed his cheek, and he smiled at me while kissing me chastely, weary of getting too passionate. He carried me out of the room and set me on the floor, knowing that Dad would rebuke us both if he caught Itachi carrying me like an infant._

_I grasped his hand in mine, and we headed towards the kitchen where Mom was preparing breakfast. She had her back to us, so while she was not looking we unleashed each other's hands and sat down at the table. Mom turned and smiled cheerfully, placing two hot cups of tea in front of us and wishing us a good morning._

_After breakfast, Itachi and I had gone to the training grounds for shuriken practice. I never told him, but I was really very happy when I had awoken that morning to the sound of his voice, and the loving look in his eyes._

_Training didn't last long, before Itachi had taken me into his arms again. We began to kiss and caress each other as he laid me in the tall grass by the river shore, cautious of potential on-lookers, but not at all concerned._

_And I was happy, and he was happy, that we could spend these warm summer days in Konoha, together, ultimately together. Not a lot else mattered. Itachi was with me, and that was enough. No, it was more than enough._

_It was perfect._

XXX

"Everything we've done," I whispered, sitting next to him on the bedroll, no longer touching each other. No longer desiring too. "Is _wrong_. They were right – it's not right for us to feel the way we do. It's… evil," and I forced my head down against my bent knees that were pressed against my chest. I didn't believe it; I didn't want to believe it. But I didn't have a lot else to believe in. This constant battle with Itachi, or to be exact, with myself _about_ Itachi, was taking my sanity from me. I loved him; I didn't want to love him. I needed him; I wasn't supposed to need him. I'm supposed to despise him, destroy him; and yet even if I could, I would never raise a hand against him.

All of my reasoning for hating him and trying to kill him weren't enough. He had taken my parents from me, my clan, and shattered everything I believed in. But despite that, I still _loved_ Itachi. I still hungered for his touch, for his kisses, for his presence. I still wanted to be with him. I needed him.

"They were wrong, Sasuke," Itachi sighed calmly, turning his head to look out the narrow mouth of the cave. "About more things than you know. There… wasn't any other way. If there had been, I wouldn't have killed them. I didn't want to leave you alone," and he turned back to stare directly into my eyes, and my breath hitched. Itachi was telling the truth. I knew, like some kind of instinct. The brotherly connection we had always had sprang to life, and I knew, this was the truth.

"I couldn't take you with me," and he gestured to the small, dark ring on his hand, "Because I joined an elite group for S-rank criminals. You're life would have been at too great a risk," And he looked to the wall in front of him.

"I would have rather been in danger, than away from you…" I confessed, my hands tightening around my legs, pulling them closer to me, suddenly feeling much colder.

"…Do you still feel that way?" He asked, not looking at me. I snapped my head towards him with a sudden rush of emotion.

"I--!" but I breathed, settled down, and continued, "Yes." I stated simply. Itachi seemed to be unsettled by that, but it quickly passed. Soon he told me to lie down, and I obeyed. We resumed our earlier positions, but the passionate hunger still did not return.

XXX

_Itachi sat on his bed, reading a book, while I laid beside him on my stomach, working on homework from the academy. Itachi had offered to help, but I had refused, confident that I could figure it out._

_I really just wanted to impress him._

_I was concentrating hard on my work until I felt a hand on the back of my thigh. Looking up at Itachi questioningly, I saw that his face was still in his book. I huffed and pushed my assignment papers away from me, sat up on my knees, and grasped Itachi's large book between my small hands. He glanced at me incredulously, but his eyes softened to a mischievous look as I pulled the offending object from his grip. I crawled onto his lap, and ran my hands over his chest and neck and shoulders, feeling that familiar excitement pulse through me._

_I pressed my lips against his without warning, startling him slightly. As his hands moved to my lower back, I had already pushed my hands beneath his shirt and was running them along all of the sensitive places on his chest. Our kiss was broken when he hummed in approval, and I focused on his facial expressions as I caressed his bare, warm skin._

_I smiled joyfully, a sense of accomplishment washing over me._

_Itachi looked impressed._

XXX

In the morning, we left after consuming a small portion of stale army rations. The worst thing about this kind of "travelling" was the food, considering the lack of towns and shops nearby.

Soon we were moving again, though at a much more comfortable pace than yesterday. My leg muscles ached profusely with the constant movements, but I ignored it as I was trained too.

Itachi seemed to be more distant since last night. I had upset him somehow, but I didn't know how to make it up to him. And I wasn't sure I wanted too.

A bitter smile graced my features. This was not the "dream mission" I had imagined all those years ago. This was nowhere even close.

Through all my reasons not too, I love Itachi. More than I had ever loved my parents or clan, or even my beliefs. It had always been this way though, hadn't it? Itachi had always been most important.

Even if now he regretted coming to get me, that didn't change anything.

Reason had no affect.

I love him too much.

_~~~*~~~_

A/N: Wow, thank you so much for all the reviews! I already had this chapter ¾ the way done when I uploaded the first two, so I thought I may as well upload this now. I'll update soon, so thank you very much!


	4. Broken Promise

Stay With Me

~Chapter Four - Broken Promise~

~~~*~~~

The rest of that day, we had traveled in silence. The uncomfortable atmosphere hung too heavy to be ignored or broken through.

Though Itachi was still going at a swifter pace than I, I was not far behind him. It hadn't snowed all day, and the further we went, the less snow there seemed to be. That either meant that we were going South – towards the Land of Sand – or spring was coming very early this year.

I soon decided that my first theory was the correct one, judging by the rapidly decreasing forestry. Trees were becoming scarcer, which meant that soon we would have to start walking on foot. That was fine by me, though, considering the still apparent ache in my legs.

But when we did at last come to the end of the woods, I didn't see the desert wasteland I had expected. Though the forest did indeed end, there were no sand dunes or cracked, dusty valleys. Hills of farmland, barely touched by the bitter winter that had engulfed everything else, fanned out for miles past the woodland edge. For a moment I felt like I was dreaming, like I had suddenly been thrust into a completely different world.

It felt like a cold autumn here – or perhaps a snow-less winter. Everything seemed to be dying with the change in temperature, but it was still considerably warm. Leaves that hadn't been raked covered the ground everywhere we walked, and the tree branches were becoming bare.

Itachi had stopped, observing the sudden change in setting, as I was. But unlike me, he wasn't surprised in the slightest. Or if he was, he hid it too well for his own good. His gaze seemed to be fixed on something, and as I turned my head to see what it was, I felt a wave of relief flood throughout me. There, over a vast array of hills, was the distinguishable prospect of a town. And, as the sun was surely going to set within the hour, that meant we would be sleeping in beds tonight.

Itachi began walking again, and I followed suit, suddenly feeling much better about our situation.

XXX

"_But why does it have to be tonight?" I whined, my hands clutching the hemline of Itachi's shirt, as I looked up at him and pouted._

"_Because it's urgent," Itachi smiled at me, patting my head affectionately, "And you know Father. He's very obstinate about such things," he explained smoothly, his hand not yet leaving my scalp._

_Itachi and I were going to spend all day together today. But for whatever reason, Dad decided to hold a meeting for all the Jounin within the Uchiha Clan. I didn't know what was so urgent – nobody would tell me – but I didn't really care about that. The thing that had upset me was that my plans with Nii-san were ruined._

_I knew it was out of my hands, though. If Itachi couldn't do anything, I certainly couldn't. But that didn't change the dreadful feeling of disappointed that washed through me._

_So, shortly after dinner was finished, Dad and Itachi left for the meeting. After I helped Mom clean up, I retired for the night, feeling especially let down._

_I laid awake for over an hour, wondering about Itachi and the "urgent" meeting. I felt troubled; like Itachi was hiding something important from me, but I had no evidence for my suspicions. I kept telling myself that I loved Itachi, yet I could not shake this sense of mistrust. Was it because Itachi is so mysterious and quiet, and hides his emotions about everything? It could have been, but I'd known Itachi my entire life, and that had never caused me to doubt him before._

_Soon I felt my eyes begin to close, and I welcomed the idea of sleep. Perhaps a good night's rest would cure my unease. But just as I felt my consciousness begin to slip, my door slid open, and the faint light of the hallway briskly illuminated my room._

_I barely even registered that someone had opened my door, let alone enter my room, close the door behind them, and approach the bed. Even when my eyes opened – only halfway, due to my fatigue – I didn't really understand that someone was actually there. No, I didn't truly realize it, until a pair of soft, warm lips pressed against mine, and roused me from my sleep._

_My eyes opened wider, and I stared at the shadowy figure looming on top of me. My mind was still processing everything in a haze, like putting puzzle pieces together. When I snapped into full alertness, I let out a nervous gasp and sat up, pushing the intruder away from me._

_They did not seem offended by it, however. Instead, they grabbed my wrists and forced me down onto my mattress, where they straddled my waist and leaned in to kiss me again. I began to thrash and squirm uncontrollably, desperate to force the trespasser off my numbing hips, when they anxiously pulled back. I opened my mouth to yell for help, but their hand quickly clamped it shut and forced my head deep into my pillow._

_I didn't have more than a single second to react before my name was growled in frustration._

"_Sasuke," it was Itachi. Knowing that, I instantly relaxed. Though my mind was still tense and on-guard, and my nerves were shot, I relaxed enough to become calm again. Itachi was quick to notice this and promptly released my jaw. _

"_Itachi," I sighed, relief evident in my voice. He gazed at me for a moment before pulling back further; his weight was beginning to numb my hips._

"_I didn't mean to scare you," he admitted softly, his hand moving up my chest to cup my cheek, his fingers nimbly stroking beneath my eye._

"_It's okay," I blushed; the tingly sensation from his gentle fingertips was coursing through my torso. He smiled again and leaned down to kiss me. I surrendered into the kiss and opened my mouth, my tongue swept forth and lapped at his, which was pushing its way deeper into my moist cavern._

_I moaned as he ravaged all the space he had been given to explore, my hands clutched the soft material of his casual cotton shirt. This wasn't the attire he had been wearing when he and Dad left earlier, how long had he been home, then, that he had changed his clothes?_

_Speaking of clothes, Itachi's hands were working their magic on my undeveloped stomach muscles, pushing my pajama top further up to reveal my ivory skin. He leant down and began to place warm kisses above my navel, his tongue twirled around everywhere above the waistband of my shorts, wetting my skin with a thin sheet of saliva._

_I moaned in approval. Itachi's body was resting between my legs, which I raised to wrap around him and force him closer to me. He smiled that amused little grin of his, and kissed my cheeks. I sighed, heat radiated off of his sweet lips and swept over my whole body, completing me. I kissed him back; my hands gently cupped the back of his head, his soft hair poured between my fingers._

_He brought his hands up to rest on the pillow beside my head, leveraging him to put all of his weight on me. I welcomed the heavy pressure; it constricted my veins and made my heart beat just a little faster, making my head spin with the high feeling of adrenaline._

_He parted our lips and panted into my mouth, as I did the same. He smiled as his hands stroked the side of my head,_

"_A promise is a promise," he kissed my temples, cheeks, and jaw. I angled my neck and pressed my head into his chest, below his chin. He rested his head atop mine and laid us both down._

_We fell asleep._

XXX

The sky was painted with oranges and pinks by the time we came close to the village. It was small, but it seemed prosperous and cozy.

I guessed that this was the only town within miles, which meant that all the farmers and people living in this rural area came here. Great stone walls surrounded most of the village, but wood and plaster made up most of the buildings. The streets were illuminated with traditional paper lanterns, and everywhere people began to retire to their homes for the approaching night.

I continued to follow Itachi silently through the emptying streets, wondering if he had been here before. He must have, considering he didn't look around much and was sauntering around with a veil of certainty enveloping him. We walked until the sky was blue and dark, and came at last to a very large building marked, "Inn Tavern".

The only words exchanged were when Itachi requested a room from the woman at the front desk and paid her upfront in cash. She lead us up two flights of stairs and down a long hallway, gave us our key, bowed, and left without another word. Itachi promptly entered the room and shut the door after I had entered behind him. There were two single sized beds, I noticed, and though I should have been grateful, my heart sank for a moment.

I made my way over to the bed nearest the only window, and collapsed on it heavily. I shrugged off my backpack and let it thud to the floor noisily, but I didn't bother removing my cloak or shoes. My body hurt.

The other bed creaked when Itachi sat down and removed his cloak. I closed my eyes and let my body completely relax, appreciating the soft, cushiony bed beneath me. A moment passed and I had fallen into a very light sleep, just passed the line of consciousness, when I felt a tugging at my chest. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes midway and glared up at my brother, who was sitting beside me, unbuttoning my cloak.

"Ugh," I groaned as my hands rubbed at my eyes, I blinked up at him, "What are you doing?" my voice was quiet and sleepy, I propped myself up on my elbows and glared at him with an irked expression.

Itachi smiled and left my cloak alone, opting to take off my shoes instead. I didn't bother stopping him when he removed them and dropped them next to my backpack on the floor, but I shuffled away from him slightly when his hands clasped my heavy garment once more. He either didn't notice or didn't care, because he began to unbutton it where he left off.

"You'll be uncomfortable sleeping like that," He said when his hands undid the last button, right above my crotch. His hands stayed there for a second longer than necessary, then he raised them to my collar and slid the article of clothing from my shoulders. I assisted him in freeing my arms from its sleeves, but then I lay back on the pillows when he attempted to unwrap it from beneath me.

"Sasuke," he said, his voice emotionless, "why must you be so difficult?" his hands moved to relax on my sides below my ribs, as he stared me in the eyes with that deep gaze of his.

"I don't know," I replied mockingly, cocking my head to the side to let him see my bared neck and collarbone, "why must you undress me when there's no need?" and I closed my eyes, frowning. Itachi sighed and sat still for a while.

I didn't let myself doze off or relax this time. I didn't trust Itachi. I didn't want him to touch me, I didn't want him to betray me again,

I didn't want him to leave me.

And if I closed my eyes, he would leave me.

He stood up from the bed and headed towards the door, grabbing his cloak on the way. "I'll go get dinner," he offered and opened the door. He looked back at me, "Is there anything in particular that you would like?"

I didn't say anything. I didn't even look at him.

He waited for a moment, and then he left, closing the door quietly behind him.

XXX

"_Ne, Nii-san?"_

"_Hmm?" Itachi responded, looking up at me from the paper he had been writing on._

"_We'll… always be together, right?"_

_He blinked slowly then smiled, and beckoned me to lie beside him on the bed._

"_Sasuke," he began smoothly, his hands petting my head affectionately, "no matter what ever happens between us, we're brothers, and I love you. I'll always be with you, even if you can't see me…" he kissed my cheek and wrapped his arms around me, in a gentle hug._

"_Does that mean you'll stay with me forever?" I asked, nuzzling my face into his neck and sighed contently._

"…_Yes."_

XXX

"Itachi," I whispered angrily, alone in the hotel room. "I don't understand what you're doing…" My hands clenched the blanket that was wrapped around me tightly, until my fists hurt. "Why did you bring me here…?" I stood up and walked over to the large rectangular window next to my bed. The sky was almost black and filled with stars, but dark clouds covered the moon.

Itachi had been gone for half an hour, when it really should've taken only ten minutes. This inn had a tavern downstairs, and it was surrounded with restaurants on all four sides. Maybe he had a tough time deciding?

I suddenly shivered, feeling cold and unsettled. I closed the curtains and walked back to the side of my bed, where I curled up in my blanket on the pillows. Itachi was strong, he could take care of himself.

…Right?

XXX

"_Ahaha!" I giggled as Itachi ran his hands over my sides with that wet, soapy cloth. This was a treat; Nii-san and I hadn't got the chance to bathe together since we were babes. I sighed and leaned my back against his chest; the hot, steamy, bubbly water enveloped us in warmth and comfort._

_Itachi smiled and began to wash the front of my body, leaving a trail of bubbles everywhere he touched. My face turned red and hot when he slipped his hand into the water and began to wash my most private area. I moaned as my undeveloped cock was aroused from his torturous ministrations, the soft, soaking cloth floated to the surface where it was forgotten._

"_Does it feel good?" Itachi asked, his own length hardening against the small of my back. The blush on my face darkened as his hand continued to stroke me to life. My mind was reeling with the pleasure he was causing to my young, virgin body._

"_Y-yeah…" I whimpered, pressing harder against him. He moaned and grasped me a little tighter, making me moan and buck against him._

"_Sasuke…"_

_I closed my eyes. It was okay, Nii-san would never do anything to hurt me. He loved me. And I loved him._

_He promised he'd stay with me._

XXX

By the time Itachi came back, I had fallen asleep again. He set the food down on the table and stalked over to my bed, sitting down beside me. His hand gently touched my cheek, then moved to my forehead where my hitai-ate headband was still tied around my head. His fingers traced the flexible leather strips, then he reached behind me and grasped the tight knot that stuck out amid my spiky, dark hair.

He was careful not to the let his fingers or the headband catch my hair as he swiftly pulled the knot loose, setting it down on the end table next to the bed. I shifted in my sleep when I felt a warm, gentle hand stroking my face. It felt nice.

"Sasuke," a loving voice called to me, prodding at my sleeping form. I groaned and turned onto my side, away from the offending voice that was trying to wake me. The hand left my forehead, and began stroking my sides and shoulder, and through the hazy field of my unconsciousness, I welcomed the touch.

But when that 'loving' hand reached under my shirt, and began to rub and stroke at my muscled chest and stomach, my body lurched forward and I snapped into full awareness. Itachi was lying on his side, behind me, with his chest pressed into my back. His hand was running up and down my smooth skin underneath my shirt, sending tingles throughout my entire upper body. My skin bristled when his hand swept over my nipples, rubbing them exotically, bringing them to life.

I strangled the gasps and moans that fought to escape my lips, as his hands slowly tortured me with pleasure. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak, and I couldn't pull away, when his hands slowly moved downward towards my crotch.

My breath hitched when he slipped his hand easily inside my pants. I couldn't believe this. He was molesting me in a hotel room, after leaving me here for who knows how long.

"Sasuke," he was breathless. His husky, deep voice washed over me like a magic spell, keeping me paralyzed and open to his ravaging. I closed my eyes tightly, refusing to let him see me looking so pathetic. He pushed his face against my neck, kissing the junction where it met my shoulder; his hand began to rub between my legs, exciting me.

I whimpered and bit my bottom lip. Itachi was teasing me, he was using me for his sick pleasure… this wasn't loving in any way… I groaned as his skilful hand continued to stroke me through my boxers, hardening me until my breath was rough and fast. Where did this come from? Why had he chosen to be so intimate so suddenly like this?

All of my coherent thoughts died when Itachi went beneath my boxers. His smooth, warm hand grasped my aching length and began to move up and down hastily. He swung his leg overtop of mine and began to rock his hips, causing me to do the same. I gasped and cried out as my hips thrust my needy erection into his eager hand; the sheer grip of his fingers raking up and down my shaft was making me sweat and blush with lust.

Itachi's own cock was hard with desire and arousal – I could feel it pressing against my lower back when he thrust against me. My hands were clawing at the bed sheets in front of me as I tried to control my body, but I knew it was worthless. Itachi had already won.

He had already defeated me.

"D-don't…" I gasped, feeling my release creeping up in my stomach. "…S-stop! Itachi!" My eyes opened and shut, I knew I was getting close. The ache in my pants was only intensified by Itachi's treacherous hand, as it sped up in the last few seconds before I came. I cried out loudly, a shudder swept through all of my flesh and bones, and my eyes were screwed shut. The sheet within my fists was maimed and battered from my violent sexual tendencies.

I collapsed heavily against his chest and panted, my eyes barely open and my face flushed. Itachi smiled against my neck and kissed me there again, before rolling my exhausted body onto my back. He made himself comfortable atop me, his arousal dug into my thigh, and he stared down into my eyes with a lusty gaze. My arms were spread out beside me and my legs were completely lax beneath him like a corpse.

He leant down and kissed me, slow and tenderly. I opened my mouth but otherwise didn't kiss back – I was too tired to keep up with him. He sensed this but didn't waste any time contemplating whether or not he should stop, as he calmly removed my pants and then boxers. I lay beneath him, flushed, panting, and naked from the waist down, while he lay on top of me, calm, lustful and aroused. I closed my eyes when he brought his fingers to his mouth and began to suck on them, his tongue coating them thickly with saliva.

His hand retracted itself from between his lips and descended to my groin, where he used his index finger to stimulate my virgin hole. I grit my teeth together and clenched the bed sheets when he slipped that first finger inside of me, but my body trembled when he added a second one and began to thrust and scissor them deep within me.

I cried out in sudden pain and shock when he added the third finger, he had a hard time moving them when I clenched around them so tightly. When he was satisfied, he removed his fingers and pulled his pants down to his lower thighs. My mind was hazy until I felt the head of his cock at my entrance; I trembled with anticipation and tensed my entire body.

Itachi lowered his head and kissed my cheek, then pecked my lips. "Relax," he breathed against me, his hands gripped my hips and brought them towards him. I wrapped my legs loosely around his waist when he pushed himself inside me; a shudder of immense pain ripped through my body. I cried out at the intrusion and thrashed my body away from him, but he kept me in place with his hands.

"Aaah!" I screamed, my back and lower body were throbbing with immense pain. I couldn't see straight when he began to thrust inside me, his low moans were drowned out by my cries and pleas for him to stop.

"Sasuke, it's alright. Calm down," He rested his head against my neck and continued to pound my body into the mattress, my body convulsed with his every movement. Itachi reached down between our bodies and grabbed my cock, and I was shocked to realize that I was aroused. Itachi wasn't surprised and began to stroke me along with his thrusts, a definite rhythm was set.

It was minutes later when I cried out and came over our stomachs; my body was completely worn out. Itachi came shortly after I did and collapsed beside me, his arms draped over my heaving chest.

We fell asleep like that, exhausted, sweaty, and sticky.

The food was cold and left on the table, forgotten.


	5. Bedtime Story

Stay With Me

~Chapter Five – Bedtime Story~

~~~*~~~

The worst part was waking up.

At first, I had no idea where I was. The bed felt lumpy and defiled beneath me. My body ached; every one of my muscles between my thighs and shoulders was cramped and throbbing. It was an uncomfortable thing to wake up to.

Itachi wasn't there.

His bed across from me was perfectly made up like yesterday. The food that had been discarded on the table was gone. Neither his cloak nor his footwear was anywhere in the room.

There was no trace of him.

My heart began to beat faster, out of panic. Had Itachi left me here, in this strange place, all alone? After he had had his way with me?

After I had let him?

My blood ran cold, and I couldn't breathe. Everything inside my body turned numb and the only thing I could feel was my pounding heart. Had I let him? I didn't stop him. I got swept up in the moment; in the pain and the pleasure and the lustful look in his eyes... it had completely captivated me, leaving me motionless.

I rolled onto my side and buried half of my face into the pillow. It smelled like sweat – dank and musty. I tried not to breathe more than I had to. My body hurt, but my heart hurt even more. I felt betrayed and alone, and tainted.

But I had enjoyed it.

For just a moment, I saw my brother from long ago. The loving, gentle, kind older brother who would hold me fast and cradle me against him. I saw the one who always used to kiss away my distress and leave me feeling warm and accepted, the one who I always wanted to be around, the one who was there for me whenever I needed him. Always.

And once the burning sensation in my back dispersed, there was only pleasure. Not the type of pleasure that controlled your body and took over your mind, but true, heartfelt pleasure.

Because he was with me again, and maybe, just maybe...

...Things could go back to how they used to be,

When it was us.

Just us.

XXX

"_Nii-san!"_

_Itachi spun around to face me, a gentle smile across his face. The dark clouds behind him looked even darker in contrast to the natural brightness of his whole being._

"_What is it, Otouto?"_

_The snow was falling._

_Quietly spiralling downward, before it died._

_It covered him in thin icicles that made him glow._

_You were so beautiful._

"_Play with me? Please?"_

_His large hand rested atop my head and his fingers stroked through my hair. I leaned up into the gentle touch that warmed my flesh, but then it was gone._

"_I can't right now, Otouto. I have a mission. I'll play with you later, okay?"_

_I noticed for the first time the shiny ANBU uniform and the various weapon pouches. Was it the glittering metal that made Itachi glow?_

_No._

_Itachi was beautiful._

_His glow was his own._

"_That's what you said last time," I protested, a definite pout spread across my face._

"_I also said I would make it up to you, and I did, didn't I?" he smiled that charming, clever grin. He knelt before me and brought his face close to mine, but made no contact. I wanted him to kiss me._

_But this was public; of course he would not kiss me here._

_Because people would notice._

_And tell us that it's wrong._

_To my surprise, Itachi cupped the top of my head and bent it forward, kissing my freezing forehead softly. His warm lips and breath felt steamy against my cold skin. I blushed._

"_Next time, Otouto. I'll be seeing you," And with that, he got up and left._

_I stood there watching, long after his retreating back disappeared from sight._

XXX

I uncurled myself from the blankets after nearly an hour of sulking. My body felt heavy. My eyes felt swollen. I stood from the squeaky, detestable bed and walked over to the window, next to the large, glass balcony doors.

It was snowing.

The sky was dark though it was early morning. All the lanterns were still trying to stay alit in the street below, but there was no wind, only endless snowflakes.

So winter did reach this far South, after all. But the snow was not sticking to the ground; it was melting into the dirt. Everything looked frozen and dead – as if a single night of cold and snow had slaughtered the life of this town.

And suddenly I felt guilty, for bringing this Winter Hell with me, for coming with Itachi, my brother, lover, and murderer of my family, for letting him claim my body in the center of this once prosperous landmark, that now looked dead and buried beneath frozen rain.

I pressed my warm palm flat against the cold, clear glass. Condensed water immediately began to spread around my hand, outlining it. The sudden cold that rushed through my hand was relieving. It felt good.

An intense heat coursed through my veins where my blood should have been. My head ached behind my eyes, next to my temples. I pressed my forehead against the cold glass and let out a shaky breath. My body ached. Everything hurt. Was this from the sex? Is this what sex does to you?

I realized then, for the first time since last night, that my headband was gone. Slowly, carefully turning around, my eyes landed on the bedside table where my hitai-ate was neatly folded. I staggered over to it and clamped my clammy hands on the edges of the table; my head was spinning.

I grasped the leather strip and turned back toward the window, but was hit with a sudden wave of dizziness and nausea. I clutched my head and began to collapse, when a strong hand reached underneath me and kept me from hitting the ground.

The sudden pressure of the hand on my chest, between my ribs, made my breath constrict painfully in my lungs. I looked up through blurry eyes and could scarcely make out Itachi's concerned face as he stared down at me. Everything felt strange and painful when he swept me into his arms and laid me on the bed.

My skin was cold but I felt like I was burning from the inside out. I couldn't stop from sweating and breathing heavily as Itachi gently eased my head on the pillow. I felt pathetic and weak with him looking me over like this, especially after last night.

I failed to notice how cold and damp he was until his hand touched my forehead. I gasped at his ice-cold fingers against my smouldering flesh; it was painful and relieving at the same time. I closed my eyes as he felt my forehead, cheek, and neck, before retracting his hand.

"You have a fever," He stated, as if I hadn't known. "...Rest, and I'll go see what I can find in town that may help. We can't afford to waste much time, but at least you can rest while I'm out. Try to sleep,"

The loving tone in his voice sickened and saddened me at the same time. I hated this man, but I loved my brother.

I couldn't tell the difference anymore.

He stood from the bed and headed to the door. His cloak swayed behind him, making him look demonic. I stared, suddenly feeling very small, for this was just like last time.

The last time he left, and I stood, watching his back, from afar... I watched as he evanesced.

As he disappeared, right before my eyes.

And suddenly, was no longer part of my life.

XXX

"_Brother!! Itachi, come back! Come back!!"_

_I ran, my legs burned, my chest heaved, my hair fell in front of my eyes and stuck to my damp cheeks._

"_Nii-san! NII-SAN!!"_

_I was screaming and crying. Dead bodies were everywhere. They littered the streets, painting it the darkest garnet, the smell of rotting flesh clung to everything within the complex._

_I couldn't run anymore. Itachi was beginning to get further and further from my sight._

_I collapsed on the hard, dirt road and watched, appalled, as my brother began to vanish into the distance. Tears clouded my sight, as I screamed in agony of betrayal and loneliness, begging not to be left behind._

_Begging not to be left behind._

_I would rather go with you._

_No matter how dangerous,_

_I don't care._

_Just don't leave me._

_Don't leave me here alone._

_Please, I beg you..._

_...Anything but that._

XXX

I woke up to the feel of that cold hand again on my forehead. I forced my eyes open slowly, and saw Itachi, smiling down at me.

So gentle, kind, loving...

..._deceiving_.

I tried to glare, but it came out looking pleading, pitiful. Itachi held a bottle of pain medication in his hand, and began to tap out two small red pills. He handed them to me, I sat up and received them, and then he offered a bottle of water.

I wanted to throw his kindness and generosity back in his face; expose him to be the evil, lying, deceitful wretch that he was... but my body ached. It ached to the point where my eyes began to moisten.

So I let him tend to me. He medicated me, made me drowsy, and then announced we would be leaving.

It was hard not to scoff and laugh in his face.

"Why." I demanded, through a shaky, quiet voice. My body was trembling delicately from the hot and cold flashes. I closed my eyes, begging the pain killer to kick in soon, I couldn't stand it anymore. The constant ache in my lower back, legs, muscles, and other recently abused parts was intolerable.

"Why what," Itachi replied simply, as he began to make ready my backpack and cloak. I grit my teeth together harshly, but soon let my jaw go completely lax. Everything hurt.

Itachi merely stared at me with a contemplating look, as if he could see into my mind. I tried to harden my gaze; tried to overcome this dwelling sense of inferiority – but I couldn't.

"Why did you," I paused, my voice caught in my throat, "why did you do it? All of _this_," I couldn't find the right words. "All of this, the running from Konoha, the long days of travel, the hotel –"

I raised my hand to rest on my burning forehead. The skin of my palm was cold, but the blood beneath it was scorched. I couldn't close my eyes.

Itachi didn't move. He stayed completely immobile, kneeling at my bedside. He was silent and stoic as always, but I had never been so frustrated and grateful for it at the same time.

At last he bent his head and stood, his cloak was laid across his bed; he stood and went to fetch it. He slipped his arms through his sleeves and wrapped it around his body. He buttoned it as he spoke,

"We were running," He paused curtly, "from Konoha's ANBU Black Ops. They were going to kill you," he turned and faced me, his eyes gleamed with a serious and slightly malicious intensity, "No, they were _ordered_ to kill you. That's why."

I gaped up at him, my face damp with the cold sweats and my eyes foggy and unfocused. "Kill me?" I repeated, my voice was strained and hoarse, "But why? Why would the Hokage order them to do that?"

Itachi closed his eyes, aggravated. I could see his reluctance to bring up this subject, but I couldn't let this go. I had a right to know why I was wanted dead.

"Tell me!" I demanded, attempting to sit up, "Why were ANBU after me? What the hell is going on, Itachi!?"

Itachi caught my eyes and held them fast with his; the strange malevolence that swirled within them caused a shiver to run down my spine. I silenced myself as he came forward, agonizingly slow, and sat on the bed beside me.

"It wasn't the Hokage," Itachi said, slowly, as he gazed straight ahead of him, "It was the councillors, Danzo, Homura and Koharu. They want you dead, and Danzo, who controls Root of ANBU, was the one who made the order. I doubt that the Hokage was even told anything at all,"

I clenched my hands deep into the sheets that covered the mattress. None of this made any sense.

"But... why?" I couldn't think of anything else to say; my mind was flooded with nervousness.

"Because," Itachi sighed, rubbing his temple, "because you're dangerous. They don't trust you because you're an Uchiha, and my younger brother. They want to dispose of you now so that you can never become a threat," Itachi explained, his voice betrayed his disdainful visage, portraying how uncomfortable this had made him.

"But that doesn't make sense," I said, my body straightening despite my confusion and sickness, "because every Jounin, Chuunin, and ANBU Black Op in Konoha can be considered a threat. What makes me any different? I have no intention of betraying Konoha," and I grasped the Leaf headband again from the little table next to me, to emphasize my point.

It wasn't that I valued Konoha so much, but it was the closest thing I had to a home since the massacre. A voice in the back of my head told me that I was loyal to Konoha only because I wanted to defy Itachi. Maybe it was right.

"Yes," Itachi said, his hands resting above his knees. He turned his body to face me, and bent one leg sideways on the bed whilst the other hung over the edge, "But they are concerned about you, because... there is a chance that one day, you will come to despise Konoha, more than you have ever despised me."

"But why?!" I bellowed, my hands jolting forward to grab the material of his robe beneath his breast, unfastening two buttons. "Stop talking in fucking riddles! Why should I hate Konoha more than I do you? What are they so scared of?"

"The _truth_." Itachi growled, his hands shooting forward to grab my wrists. He pulled me ever closer to him, that I had to bend my arms to avoid straining them, and his face came only an inch away from mine.

"They're scared of you finding out the _truth_, Sasuke. The truth about our clan, about the massacre, about... about me," and his face softened, no longer agonized and frustrated, but simply... beaten. For the first time in my life, I saw my brother on the verge of breaking down. I saw him hollow and whipped – an entirely different person.

I didn't like this person.

"What... 'truth'?" I asked, subconsciously leaning closer towards him, our chests almost touched. "Itachi, tell me. Please, tell me," And I felt strange, melancholy, and nostalgic, to talk again with Itachi this way. It was so unlike us, or what I had always imagined would be us, when he met each other again.

This was like the old us, long before our intimacy and romance. I felt like a child again, curling up in my brother's arms in his room at night, begging to be read a story...

And he was looking at me that way, too. His face was gentle and passive, but now he looked on me with pity and sorrow, too. I knew Itachi was about to speak again, so I relaxed against him, both of us were leaning our heads back enough to see into each other's eyes.

"We have to leave," Itachi said again, only more kindly, "because while you slept, I went to town, and heard the gossip in the marketplace. Shinobi from Konoha are on the way here, so we have to go before they get here. I'll– " His hands released my wrists as he stood, and began to make us ready for travel again, " –explain everything on the way, I promise. But we have to go _now_."

". . ." I said nothing as I pushed my body from the mattress. Sitting upright caused my blood to pump faster, and I felt sick –horribly sick– like I would never move again. My head swam, my stomach churned, and my muscles ached, that I thought I would die here.

I was ready to collapse back on the bed and pass out, when I noticed vaguely that Itachi had stopped and was staring at me. I hated the feeling of having Itachi look on me like a child. I was no longer a child.

I was no longer his brother.

Brothers were not intimate like this.

Itachi had ended our brotherhood.

_And begun our romance._

Itachi stepped forward and hung my cloak over my shoulders, helping me to put it on. I let him handle me, I felt so weak and tired, I let him touch me. Though I felt scared of his touch now.

He lifted me onto his back before I could even register what he was doing. My body internally protested to being moved, but I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck and pressed my face against his shoulder, completely slumping against him.

His arms were looped around my legs, and my backpack was hanging from his left arm by its straps. We exited the room, and made our way briskly down the hallway, stopping momentarily to thank the young receptionist at the desk. She followed us with her eyes as we left, a baffled expression displayed plainly across her face.

It was no longer snowing.

Itachi tightened his hold on my legs, causing me to reflexively strengthen my hold around his neck, as he leapt onto the roof of the inn. I closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of Itachi's own masculinity. In an instant we were bounding across the city roofs, heading towards the outskirts, further south. I hugged onto Itachi as he gracefully yet forcefully moved through the frozen city.

My eyes were still closed, my body begging for sleep, when Itachi began to speak, "Sasuke, listen to me. I'll tell you the truth before we leave, but you have to stay awake." We were already making our way out of the great stone walls, and landed on the damp, muddy road. Itachi began to sprint at an inhuman pace; the wind resistance whipped at my arms and legs. He wasn't being gentle at all.

"The Konoha shinobi will likely catch up with us soon, so before we head into battle, I'll explain why they're after you," and he was so hesitant, that I could feel the tense atmosphere that radiated from him. He spoke loudly, knowing that it was very hard for me to hear him.

"A long time ago," he said, slowing his pace just a little, "Father and the other elite ninja of the Uchiha clan were planning something – something that would end up destroying the village. Knowing that it would put many innocent people in danger, I tried to make them reconsider, but their foolish desire for power blinded them. In the end, I had no choice but to eradicate them,"

It was way too fast.

I had to recall every word, slowly.

He had said it all so fast, though I know he was speaking at his regular pace.

My heart sunk.

I couldn't hear anything but the slow, powerful thumping in my chest.

I felt my eyes moisten – from the wind or tears, I was unsure – but I couldn't say anything. My voice was caught in my throat, suffocating me.

"The village elders, including the third Hokage, used me to gain information on what the Uchiha were planning. And it was they who ordered that I put an end to it, at all costs. But they were unsatisfied that I had let you live,"

I couldn't breathe.

"I beseeched the Hokage to let you live and protect you from the wrath of the councillors, because you were just a child. He agreed to it, and kept you safe, but his recent passing has left the councillors with no one to stop them from taking your life. That's why I came to get you,"

I held him so tightly, I wondered if he was choking from it.

"Upon entering and locating you, I observed suspicious behaviour from ANBU Black Ops that were patrolling the borders. It seemed as though they were looking for someone, though I knew I had masked myself well enough that I had not been detected. Then it dawned on me, that I was not the one they were searching for. I knew I had to find you before they did, but I hadn't the slightest idea where to look. Without anything to go by, I headed for the one place I thought you might be, and luck was on my side. But I was almost too late,"

I was holding him so tightly.

"An ANBU was lying in wait for you, within the brush along the path that led to the graveyard. I took him out without being noticed by you or his back up, but we barely got out of there without starting a war. It was a dangerous risk,"

This just wasn't possible. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, my body was shutting down. Had I truly spent the last five years of my life, hating my own brother, when all he has ever done was protect me?

How could I have not known?

Why didn't he tell me this then?

Why?

"The elders didn't want you to find out about the truth, because they were worried you would turn your hatred against them for the massacre. And they know that someday you will probably be stronger than I am, so being the cowards they are, they tried to kill you. And I was almost too late,"

Guilt. That was guilt in my brother's voice just now. He was filled with regret, how had he kept sane all these years?

And suddenly, everything faded away, and I saw myself beside Itachi, holding his hand, being held in his arms, being together with him, just us. Just us.

I knew it then.

I loved my brother.

And I loved Itachi.

So much, that I couldn't comprehend it,

He had always been there, protecting me, even while I had hated him.

He had still loved me.

"_But can you trust Itachi?" _My conscience asked, making me recall the brutal words he had thrown at me that night, the lies he had fed me, the things he had forced me to see, the way he had ravaged me last night...

Could I trust Itachi?

Was he lying to me now?

Was all this just a lie; just an excuse to take me away?

Maybe he was going to kill me.

Maybe he was going to rape me.

I shuddered. The confusion was so intense that my head throbbed; the blood pounding within it sent me through Hell and back again. I couldn't see anything anymore. It was too much. It was way too much.

"Sasuke?" Itachi's voice was so far away, I could barely hear it. And I didn't know what he was saying. Was he calling my name?

"Sasuke?" Itachi tried again. No response. Gradually he came to a halt, looking over his shoulder to peer at his brother's unconscious face. He sighed, and moved towards a small grove of evergreen trees, lying Sasuke's sleeping body down in the shade on thin grass. They were close to the Sand village now, meaning that this would probably be one of the last oases before there was nothing but desert.

And sure enough, amidst the thick tree branches, a small pool of fresh water was bubbling to the surface. Itachi paid none of it any heed, concentrating more on helping his cold sweating little brother. He began to rummage through Sasuke's backpack, until he found the small face cloth that he had packed. Gliding swiftly to the pool, he dipped it in the lukewarm water, squeezed out the excess liquid, and brought it back over to Sasuke, where he placed it on his forehead.

Sasuke twitched lightly on his back, obviously suffering from the hallucinations that a fever brought. Itachi gently press his palm to Sasuke's cheek, and began to coo soft, comforting words to his baby brother.

Then he noticed, for the first time, the shinobi forehead protector that Sasuke was clutching in his hand. A bitter smile crossed Itachi's visage for a moment, before he eased the headband from his brother's grasp, and placed it safely into the backpack.

XXX

"_Nii-san?"_

"_Hmm?" I responded, turning around to look at my little brother standing in my doorway. His baggy pyjama t-shirt was much too large on him, and it was quite adorable._

"_Will you read me a bedtime story?" He asked shyly, holding his hands behind his back and shuffling his feet on the hardwood beneath him._

"_Aren't you a little old for that?" I mocked gently, even as I got up to lead him further into my domain and over to the bed._

_He only smiled that bright, innocent smile of his and climbed onto the bed. I got in after him and pulled the covers over us both, but then realized,_

"_Did you bring a book, Otouto?"_

_Sasuke looked blankly at me for a moment, then shook his head. I pulled the blanket again from my body and moved to stand up, but Sasuke caught the material of my night shirt and held me in place as best he could. I turned my head around and looked at him questioningly, but he only smiled._

"_It's okay Nii-san, we can just lay like this instead."_

_Sasuke..._

_I love you so much._

_I can't bare it._

"_Are you sure?"_

_I love you more than what is considered right,_

_But for the first time in my life, I cannot control it._

"_Yeah, I'm tired anyways."_

_I laid beside him, tucking us both in again._

"_I'll read to you tomorrow," I suggested. He smiled and nodded, before snuggling against my chest. I wrapped my arm loosely over his tiny body and closed my eyes._

"_Good-night, Nii-san,"_

_I love you so much._

_So hopelessly much._

"_...Goodnight, Sasuke."_


	6. Separated

Stay With Me

~Chapter Six – Separated~

~~~*~~~

Itachi sat, watching Sasuke rest peacefully. He knew they couldn't wait much longer. He could already feel the ANBU moving swiftly behind the sand dunes – mere miles away. And there were several of them.

If he had to, Itachi could easily buy some time by using shadow clones to fight while they escaped, but it wouldn't keep their trackers at bay for long. They were probably expecting it.

Reluctantly, he pulled the cloak that he had lain over Sasuke's body and slipped it on. Sasuke shifted slightly, his brows furrowed in discomfort, and his face sweating with illness, as he shivered from the sudden loss of warmth.

The temperature continued to decrease no matter where they went. In less than two weeks it would be January, and winter would be at its climax. After that, it would begin to defrost.

Yet now, even the blistering desert heat was reduced to a bitter autumn chill. The wind that used to burn your entire body now made shivers rack your spine. Itachi gazed at the sky to the West, where his next desired location was, and frowned. It was days away. Maybe even longer with Sasuke being unable to run.

But there was no choice now. Itachi carefully scooped his little brother into his arms and then onto his back, and broke into a breakneck dash. His arms were looped securely around his brother's legs and Sasuke's arms were wrapped loosely around Itachi's neck.

The sand was hindering Itachi's movements as he ran through the desert. The deep, dry, dirt-like ground sunk with his every footstep, trying to trap them. Although it was slowing them down, Itachi didn't use chakra to glide across the sand dunes. He would need all of his strength.

He heard Sasuke groan in mild discomfort. But as much as he wanted to, he couldn't slow down. They were on the run; they had to keep moving.

They were being hunted.

XXX

_The dark, circular stone room had a certain ominous feel that Itachi ignored. The other eight members of Akatsuki stood in their assigned positions in a circle, with the leader, Pein, standing at the head in front of a large statue. Itachi stood silently as everyone else began to converse and scheme._

_He raised his head when Pein cleared his throat impatiently. Everyone immediately silenced themselves and gave him their undivided attention._

"_As I'm sure you are all aware," he said in his low, deep voice, "Orochimaru's attempt to destroy Konoha did not succeed. He did, however, manage to eradicate the Third Hokage. I presume you all know what this means," and he glanced around swiftly, meeting everyone's eyes briefly._

"_Haa," Deidara, the annoying, blonde artist drawled, "So they're gonna need a new Hokage, hm? But that means Konoha is vulnerable right? Hm."_

"_Yes," Pein replied, "but not for long. They most likely already have several candidates ready. But that's beside the point," and he looked directly at Itachi as he said, "Now is the time to infiltrate them and seize the vessel of the nine-tailed fox. Itachi, Kisame, you must leave immediately for Konoha."_

_Kisame grinned cruelly but said nothing, and Itachi merely nodded._

XXX

I opened my eyes, feeling tired and sore but not as sick. Itachi was carrying me, and from the looks of things, we were longer in the desert.

The grass, although dry and thin, covered all the ground. Skinny, short trees lined the dirt path that we were following. I knew we were up high – probably on a mountain – because there was a familiar pressure in my ears that meant an increase in elevation.

My hold on my brother's neck tightened slightly. I didn't know where we were. My throat was dry and aching, and my lower back continued to throb relentlessly. But at least the nausea and muscle aches seemed to have subsided.

Gradually, Itachi began to slow his pace. He knew I was awake but didn't say anything. Not that I necessarily wanted him to say anything; I knew our next conversation would be awkward for both of us.

_Itachi was ordered to kill them all._

My eyes moistened, but I didn't cry. I glared mercilessly at the roadside shrubs as we passed them. My heart was aching. I had nothing to believe in anymore – my life as I had lived it was suddenly a lie. The person I had hated with all my being was my closest ally. And the people I had trusted with my life and called comrades were allies with my now worst enemies.

Everything about this predicament defied the morality that I once believed in.

Morality. What a disgusting word.

Morality: -Noun; Conformity to the rules of right conduct; moral or virtuous conduct. Right and wrong; the rules in which people obey, believing that what they do is right. And breaking those rules in almost any circumstance is considered _immoral_, or wrong. _Evil_.

So who decides what is right and wrong?

Itachi had been ordered to slay his own family in order to avoid a war. That in itself contradicted morality. No matter what they would have done, it would have been wrong. People still would have died. Innocent people.

Yet Itachi had been exiled and labelled as an _immoral being_. Why? Because he followed orders that he was sworn to obey? Because he protected his village at the cost of his families' lives?

The stupidest thing about morality, is that it leads people to believe that the only things that exist in this world are _good_ and _bad_.

But there's not always a right or wrong answer.

Sometimes, the right answer is immoral.

_Because morality is a lie._

XXX

_Itachi stood by Kisame's side, as they looked at the white village below them in the valley. It was cold here, colder than it had been in the village hidden in the rain._

"_Kisame," Itachi said emotionlessly, "The nine-tailed vessel has already left the village."_

"_Oh?" Kisame grinned, turning to Itachi with a surprised glance, "You know just from looking? And after we came all the way here, too..." he whined._

"_I can still sense his chakra. He isn't far, but he has the legendary Sannin Jiraiya with him. They're headed west."_

_Kisame turned and took a few steps away from the ledge then stopped, "Well? Aren't you coming, Itachi-san?"_

_Itachi looked back passively over his shoulder, but didn't meet Kisame's gaze. "Go on ahead without me. There's something I need to do," And he began to walk the opposite way, down the path leading toward the village._

_Itachi was silent and undetectable when he snuck into the ANBU headquarters underground facility. Even with the heavily armed guards keeping watch, his mangekyou sharingan rendered them powerless._

_Upon entering the private chamber of the ANBU head, Danzou, Itachi let a deep, malicious glare plaster across his usually gentle face. Danzou stood with his back to him, seeming concentrated on a hanging wall scroll._

"_I was expecting you, Itachi."_

"_My threat remains valid. The Third Hokage's death means nothing."Itachi's voice was hard and cold, and a hint of malevolence iced the already frozen tone._

"_My, my..." Danzou sighed arrogantly, as he turned and met Itachi's glare head on. His eyes remained closed most of the time and thus he did not fear Itachi's sharingan._

"_I'm afraid you're too late, boy." He said, his cruel smile twisted his face into an unpleasant sneer, "I've already dispatched ANBU to find and eliminate Sasuke."_

_Itachi's eyes widened and then narrowed within a fraction of a second. Anger swelled in his chest above his ribs, affectively suffocating him. He glared with a heated abhorrence at the vile man before him, and before Danzou could even register what happened, Itachi had him pinned to the wall by his throat._

_He dug his short, black nails deep into the man's neck and crushed his spine against the hanging scroll. Danzou wheezed as his windpipe was being crushed and gripped Itachi's wrist desperately – he was getting lightheaded._

_Itachi pierced the skin of the man's throat and felt warm liquid coat his fingertips. The colour had drained from the man's face and become a grotesque whitish-yellow; signalling his death was upon him. Itachi tightened his grip just a little more, and the man let out a high-pitched whimper; his eyes shot open and bulged as his face began to turn a light blue._

_The moment his eyes opened Itachi had him trapped within his horrifying sharingan. With little mercy, Itachi threw the lifeless, unconscious body to the ground with a loud thump._

_He grit his teeth in panic as he swiftly exited the headquarters. He had wasted too much time here._

_He knew that it was a foolish, dangerous thing to do. He had already risked many things to keep Sasuke safe, but Sasuke was once again in danger. He needed him. He was waiting for him._

_Both of their lives were at risk, but Itachi would gladly risk his life, if it meant protecting his brother. After all these years, Sasuke was still waiting for him._

"_Hang on, Sasuke," Itachi whispered to himself as he sped through the trees, towards the Uchiha estate._

XXX

Itachi was no longer running by the early evening hours. He walked steadily on the path, a tired Sasuke still clinging to his back. A long while passed before he spoke,

"Sasuke, how are you feeling?" his voice was gentle, and very quiet. If it weren't for the lack of any kind of sound in this place, Sasuke wouldn't have heard him.

"Better," he answered quietly, slowly. Sasuke still didn't want to talk. He didn't want to confront any of the recent happenings between the brothers.

_Not the rape, and not the truth..._

Sasuke closed his eyes. It hadn't been rape. It had been similar at first, but Sasuke never really tried to stop Itachi. He hadn't wanted to.

He wanted his brother back. The brother that loved him, in every kind of way...

"You're tired," Itachi stated, a small, knowing smile graced his features. Sasuke's voice was quiet and sullen. He needed to sleep.

Sasuke hesitantly nodded and rested his face against the back of Itachi's neck. He didn't want to appear weak or vulnerable, but it was already too late for that. So just this once, he let Itachi care for him.

_Just this one last time._

"There's a bridge just up ahead," Itachi said softly, "beyond it, there's a small but secluded cave. We'll rest there for tonight, okay? We're almost there,"

Sasuke closed his eyes. This was painful. Good memories shouldn't hurt, but this was ripping his heart into shreds. This was nostalgic, of the perfect life he used to have, _this_ was his Itachi from back then, this kind and gentle man who would protect and care for him above all else...

How long had he ached for this? How many nights did he yearn and wish and pray for this? And now that he had it again...

_...it hurt so badly._

Itachi began to grow suspicious of their surroundings. The ANBU chakra signals had vanished, but there was still something lingering behind them – something was still following them.

As the bridge came into view, Itachi grew increasingly more wary of their situation. Something wasn't right. He had to be extra careful now; a dangerous presence was lurking all around them.

Distrustfully, Itachi stepped onto the bridge and began to cross. With his guard completely up, he scanned the area all around them, but found nothing. When he reached the midway point of the bridge, however, Itachi's head snapped up in alarm and panic.

A barrage of shuriken pelted the wooden boards where Itachi and Sasuke had stood less than a second ago. Itachi looked quickly at the end of the bridge, where five battle-ready ANBU stood victoriously.

Behind them, Itachi sensed another five ANBU blocking the other end of the bridge. They were trapped.

"Sasuke," Itachi said almost silently, so only his brother could hear, "I'm going to set you down. I need my hands to fight. Be careful, but don't worry, I will protect you."

Sasuke, shocked, concerned, and a little frightened, let himself be set on the ground and stepped behind Itachi, who turned so that both ends of the bridge were on either side of him.

"Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke," one of the ANBU at the end of the bridge spoke loudly, "you are both under the penalty of execution for the crimes of murder and the abandonment of your village."

Sasuke looked over at the ANBU with a confused but angry stare. They were accusing him of being Itachi's accomplice? Although it was true in this sense, wasn't it standard protocol in this situation to assume a kidnapping occurred?

Sasuke didn't know what he was thinking. It didn't matter how they felt – he was his brother's ally.

"By order of the high counsellor Danzou of Konoha, you will now be executed. If you comply, we promise to make it quick and painless. What is your answer?"

"Sasuke, stay still," Itachi whispered very quietly again. Sasuke nodded. Itachi readied himself for combat and began exchanging shuriken with the ANBU on both sides, though at an obvious disadvantage. Sasuke quickly flipped open his backpack to retrieve his weapons, but was stopped by a frenzy of shuriken. He staggered backwards but didn't avoid all of them; two throwing stars penetrated his flesh painfully, his tendons ripped as the spiky metal imbedded itself into his right shoulder and left thigh.

He groaned and took another step back; his spine touched the thick, old rope that railed the wooden bridge. Cautiously, Sasuke turned his head and felt a wave of dizziness plague him. It was a long way down. The water below them was rapidly moving in a vicious current – a most likely fatal river to be caught in, even for a ninja.

He was oblivious to the two ANBU that were advancing on him. Itachi, still fighting diligently, didn't have enough time to act when he saw an ANBU run towards his little brother, katana drawn.

Sasuke snapped his head towards his attacker, and barely evaded the sword that came down on him. It sliced through the thick rope like liquid butter, and instantly the bridge tilted downward on its side. Itachi and the ANBU immediately prepared to move their fight to the ground, but Itachi halted when he heard Sasuke shout in pain.

He turned to look, a second too late.

The ANBU that had cut the rope grabbed Sasuke by the back of his shirt collar and flung him backwards – off the side of the bridge.

Itachi didn't breathe.

Sasuke managed to clutch the side of the bridge, as his hand let the backpack slip from his grasp and plummet to the raging river below. He looked up at the ANBU fearfully; his palm and fingers ached from supporting his body and the numerous wooden slivers that pierced his flesh.

Though he couldn't see his face, Sasuke was sure the ANBU was smirking at him in victory. And then he was gone. Sasuke only saw a spray of blood spew through the air and then drench the wooden boards. Itachi stood where the ANBU had previously, and bent to help his little brother. Sasuke felt a pang of nausea when the dead, decapitated body of his attacker landed ungracefully on the bridge and slid off, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

"Are you okay," Itachi said as he gripped Sasuke's wrist and began to pull him up. Sasuke opened his mouth to answer but stopped when his brother's face changed drastically from concern to pure panic.

The feeling of falling overtook Sasuke's body. Itachi wrapped his arms tightly around his brother, and Sasuke looked up at the old, severed bridge that was falling behind them. The ANBU stood on both sides of the canyon, their swords still imbedded in the wooden posts that kept the bridge attached to the ground.

Sasuke closed his eyes. This was it. They were going to die. If hitting the water – which would feel more like cement – didn't kill them, then surely having the bridge fall on top of them would.

For a moment, being in Itachi's arms and falling endlessly felt really good. Then Sasuke wondered when it was all going to stop – the suspense clawed at the inside of chest.

Everything went black.

XXX

_Itachi moved easily through the familiar trees at the back of the Uchiha complex. He could sense Sasuke, he knew he was here, somewhere..._

_Itachi stopped instantly when he saw his brother kneeled next to the graves, and the hidden predator that was lurking in the shadows, watching him._

_Itachi narrowed his eyes at the oblivious ANBU that was crouched at the trunk of a large tree, eyeing the younger Uchiha with precise killer intent. Apparently, he didn't think that a young child was worth properly hiding himself for, since Itachi had found him far too easily._

_He moved with the grace of a ghost as he snuck up behind the unsuspecting shinobi. Without making a single sound on the white, snowy powder, Itachi gripped the ANBU by his neck and broke it within a millisecond. A resounding _crack _echoed through the graveyard, and Itachi looked up at Sasuke who was on the path, and who had stopped in sudden alarm at the sound. His gaze analyzed the area suspiciously; his guard immediately up in defence._

_Itachi smiled. His brother had learnt well._

_Silently and protectively, Itachi continued to follow his brother. He hid in the shadows of the trees as he stalked the boy, and at the same time was scanning the forest for anymore ANBU._

_It took only a few minutes, and Sasuke had collapsed in a small clearing against a familiar tree. A wave of nostalgia hit Itachi when he saw his little brother rest his head against the very tree where it had all started._

_Where Sasuke had first kissed him._

_Suddenly, Itachi was overwhelmed. Did his brother come here often? Did he miss him that much?_

_His thoughts were cut short when he sensed an unwelcomed presence. Reinforcements were on the way. This was no time to be reminiscing with fond old memories; his brother was in danger._

_As snow piled up on Sasuke's cold, damp body, Itachi entered the clearing. A small twig that had fallen from a tree snapped beneath his foot as he stepped into the clearing. He saw Sasuke twitch at the sound, but do nothing else._

_Itachi kept approaching his brother until he stood directly in front of him. He looked beautiful, though uncomfortable at the same time. He was probably very cold._

"_Sasuke," Itachi said gently, urging the boy to respond to his voice. And sure enough, Sasuke opened his eyes, and gazed at Itachi with a bewildered and shocked expression._

"_Let's go,"_

~~~*~~~

**Author's Note:** Alright, well, a few things to say about this one. First of all, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has read/reviewed/enjoyed/favourite this story. Secondly, I apologize about the long wait. I have been very busy with exams, but fear not, they are over now. The seventh chapter is already in progress, so expect that soon, okay? And third of all, many of you asked about the sudden change in viewpoint. I'm sorry about the confusion that has caused – I merely wanted to show Itachi's side of the story a little bit; mainly in this chapter. It's still Sasuke's POV and will get back to that for the remainder of the story.

Thank you to everyone who has read so far! I'm glad you are enjoying it. Chapter seven will be up promptly. :)


	7. Don't Leave Me

Stay With Me

~Chapter seven – Don't Leave Me~

~~~*~~~

My body was burning. I could feel my temperature increasing; my skin was hot and damp with sweat. I had yet to open my eyes and observe the damage – I was trying to figure out if I was even still alive.

There wasn't any pain, that's why I first thought I was dead. I was hot, yes, and sweaty, but there was no pain. Not until I took my first deep breath after waking up, with my eyes still closed. A jolt of searing pain attacked my ribs, my lungs heaved and I forced myself to stop breathing. The ache remained, clinging to my bones and numbing my mind of everything else. I never knew breathing could hurt _that_ much. I must have broken all of my ribs and punctured my lungs. If I was still alive.

As soon as I calmed my breathing and lungs, I began to feel pain all over my body. I couldn't move at all. My limbs were bruised and scratched beyond the point of recognition, though I had yet to look at them. My chest ached fiercely and my head swam. I could feel the blood pulsing through my entire body, as if my veins were thin and about to tear. I opened my eyes, and immediately noticed that something was obstructing half my view. I could still see, but one of my eyes was not working. My right eye.

I looked up, and saw wooden boards. Perfectly straight wooden boards, all nailed together, about eight feet above me. I trailed the edge of them with my eyes, and saw that they were attached to more boards – vertical ones. And they were attached to boards that were lining the ground beneath me, as well, all perfectly symmetrical and evenly nailed.

I wasn't outside. I was in someone's house.

Cautiously, I looked around, slowly taking everything in. I was lying on a mat, probably made of straw, with an old wool blanket covering the lower half of my body. I didn't bother to try and look at myself – I couldn't move anything at all. I was paralyzed – but I did notice that I was wrapped quite thoroughly in bandages. I tried desperately to raise my right hand to my face, to see if I had lost an eye, but it wouldn't move. I really was paralyzed.

Depressed, I tilted my head as best I could to look around. The room was small, but filled with shelves, and those shelves occupied numerous jars and boxes. I assumed this was a food storage – it smelled like berries and dried fruit. A small, dirty, square window hung on the wall next to the door, which looked old and fragile. A thin, ugly, yellow piece of cloth covered half of the window, but most of the light still got through.

I couldn't see the rest of the room because my neck wouldn't bend that far, and my eye was obsolete. So I closed my eyes and thought only of the immense, maddening pain that coursed through my veins with my blood. I couldn't recall anything of what had happened. The ANBU, the bridge, the fall, Itachi and I clung to each other—

..,Itachi.

Where was he? What had happened? I opened my eyes again, and stared at the sunlight that poured through the little window.

Wherever I was, Itachi must have been here, too. If someone had rescued me, they would have rescued him too, right? He was probably just in a different house.

A long time past by in that little room. I could hear birds outside, see the sun beyond the dirty window pane, but I felt only the ache in my body. I couldn't fall back asleep, and the longer I sat in silence, I kept thinking about Itachi. Doubt turned to fear, and then to panic, and I found myself writhing in discomfort, rocking side-to-side in an attempt to push myself up, but it only made my wounds stretch and bleed.

I slumped against the mat and tried to breathe softly instead of panting. Sweat dripped down my face and body, soaking the blanket and bed beneath me. I tried to knock the damp, wool coverlet off with my legs, but even that was futile.

I considered rolling onto my stomach and crawling to find Itachi, but I quickly disregarded the idea. I probably wouldn't get anywhere, not with my injuries.

A loud creak tore through the silence and suddenly I was blinded by white light, shining directly into my eyes from the door across from me. Startled, I squinted and stared directly into it, making out the silhouette of a large human physique.

"Oh, you're awake?"

XXX

_The room was dusty and cold. I shut the door behind me and slowly crept across the hardwood floor, which left gray dirt on the soles of my bare feet._

_Everything was the way I remembered it, only older and deprived of human care. The bed and its sheets looked hard and uncomfortable, and the room was dark. The desk, bedside table, and dresser were all lifeless and covered in cobwebs. I hadn't been in this room in over a year. No one had._

_This was Itachi's room._

_I entered a little further inside and opened the thick, navy curtains. The dirty window glass suited the rest of the solemn furnishings. _

_The dark gray clouds outside didn't allow much light to fill the room, but it didn't matter anyways. I felt as though this room would never be bright and welcoming to me again. He had left it behind, and left me behind, and our memories were kept here in this place, filled with dust and darkness._

_I sat on the edge of the bed. The sheets were soft and cottony like I remembered, but cold, and unkind. I collapsed onto my side and stared at the picture frame beside the bed. It was the family photo of him and me, with our parents. The same one that used to hang in the hallway, framed to look exquisite and proud. _

_But I liked this one much better, I always had. It was a smaller print and had only a cheap, dark wood frame. It was ordinary, and thus it was special, because very few things in the Uchiha household could be considered ordinary._

_It was the only picture that made us look like a family, and not a self-obsessed clan of pride and power._

_Itachi used to tell me that our family was different from other families, because we had a power and a potential that no one else did, and that it was something I should honour and be proud of. But he wasn't smiling when he told me that._

_I reached forward and grabbed the dusty frame, holding it up in my hand. I used the sleeve of my other hand to wipe it clean of its dust, then laid it gently beside me on the bed. My fingers ran over the smooth glass as I stared at nothing, my eyes gradually closing, my body curling into a ball on my side. I hugged the picture against my chest and clenched my eyes shut. It wasn't fair. The whole thing was just too damn short._

_Or was it too long, because I had let myself believe all his lies?_

_Because I had let myself fall in love with him?_

_No._

_It was too short, because he had promised me we'd always be together._

_And now it was over, because "always" had ended._

_I knew since I was little that forever was just a word. Everything changes – Itachi had told me that. Happiness, suffering, kindness, cruelty... nothing stays the same._

_But I was made to believe that love was an exception._

_And even though I knew it was foolish, I believed in love and in forever, because Itachi had never led me astray, so I hoped for it..._

_I didn't want forever to be just a word._

XXX

"You're quite the trouper, kid. You survived a real nasty fall," the man said as he entered the room, shutting the door behind him. I looked away and shut my eyes for a second while I adjusted again to the dark room. The man walked forward and sat beside me on the floor, crossing his legs. I looked at him, analyzed him, and decided he wasn't a threat. His worn out trousers and tunic were old and stained, which led me to think he was some kind of hard labourer.

"My name's Matsudo. I'm sure you're probably wondering what happened and how you got here, well, you don't need to worry one bit. You're alive, if only barely. But my wife, she fixed you up a bit, and we had the doctor come and look you over. It's quite the miracle that you weren't killed, considering what happened. You got off real lucky, kid."

I looked up and examined the tanned face of this strange man, a grin stretched across his face in a welcoming gesture. I relaxed a little; glad to know that at least there wasn't any more immediate danger I had to face. Then I realized that he was silent, probably waiting for me to say something in response. I opened my mouth, and tried to force sound, words, anything, to come out but I could only groan. My throat was parched and my voice was hoarse, scratchy and all around unpleasant. I gave up and turned away from him in embarrassment, but he only gave a hearty chuckle.

"Don't force yourself, lad. You're still recovering. You broke five ribs and bruised your lungs, not to mention you probably sprained all your muscles. That old bridge fell on top of you, so you had lots of nasty cuts. Like I said, the Doc fixed you up, but now you need to recover. Oh, and you hit your head real hard, too, gave you a concussion and a black eye, so we wrapped you all up. That's why your head probably hurts so bad, eh? Yep, you're a lucky one, there's no hospital here for many miles, so when the Doc saw how banged up you were, he told us to start digging your grave! But it looks like you'll pull through after all. A real miracle,"

So, that's why I couldn't see; half my head was bandaged up. Well, at least I still had my eye. I continued to watch the man as he shifted to a slightly different position then grinned at me again.

"You hungry? We got some nice soft fruits here you can eat, or maybe some bread and honey? How about some good ol' milk? You must be real thirsty! Haven't eaten in three days since you been here,"

Three days? That's probably why I felt so completely weak. I nodded, not really caring what I got. I needed my strength, I needed food.

His cheerful expression didn't change as he stood up, "You wait right here, I'll go see what the wife can make for you," and he left through the door, shutting it behind him.

That's when I thought, that after I had something to eat, I needed to confront this man about everything that happened. I needed answers.

He returned shortly with a plate, full of berries, diced fruits, and bread soaked with honey and jam. A woman with a large belly and long wavy hair, wearing an apron, followed him holding a cup in one hand and bowl in the other.

"This is my wife Yumiko," he said as he sat down, setting the plate on the floor beside the mat, "we're expecting a baby soon," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"My, you're certainly looking better," the woman said with a cheerful tone as she knelt beside her husband, and placed the bowl somewhere next to my head, while she extended her hand that held the cup to my lips,

"It's water. It will help with your dehydration," she had a gentle, motherly voice. I opened my lips and let her tip the cup, so that the cool liquid filled my mouth and quenched my parched thirst. I gulped it down as fast and hard as I could, emptying the wooden cup in seconds.

"Dear, why don't you feed him while I clean up some of the blood that's seeped through his bandages?" She asked and picked up the bowl, shuffling her way further from my head and towards my lower body. I didn't protest – not that I could, if I had wanted to – when she removed the blanket from my legs and began to ring out the cloth that was dunked in the bowl of water.

When she began to peel away the bandages, I winced with the dull yet intense stinging sensation that jolted through my body. When she finished removing them she paused, and so did her husband. They both grimaced while staring profusely at my injuries. I couldn't lift my head, so I couldn't see how bad the damage was, but it must have been grotesque.

"A real miracle," Matsudo whispered, to himself.

I whimpered when she began to daub the damp cloth on my skin. It hurt more than I had assumed it would. Matsudo inched his way closer and began to pick the pieces of fruit from the plate, bringing them to my mouth. I chewed slowly, grateful that they were soft. The bread too, since it was wet with fresh berry jam and honey, was delectable and easy to swallow. In a matter of moments I had eaten the entire plate. My body felt instantly better. I was ready for a long, deep rest.

Yumiko finished cleaning my wounds and rewrapped the bandages. Then she grabbed the bowl and cup, and gestured for her husband to hand her the empty plate. He complied and she said,

"Stay here, Dear, and I will go make us some nice tea. I'm sure the herbs will soothe that ache in your throat," she said to me with a smile, and left without another word. Matsudo had a tranquil and utterly content look on his face as he watched his pregnant wife hobble out the door.

"She'll be havin' the baby any day, the Doc says. You might even be here to see it, if those wounds are any indication. But I guess you'll be on your way as soon as you can; you're family must be worried sick,"

For a moment my heart ceased to beat. He made it sound like I was alone, completely alone when they found me.

Then what about Itachi?

I didn't say anything. The room fell into a cold silence as I stared at the solid wooden boards that made up the ceiling. They looked very old. Secure, but old. Matsudo looked at me with a slightly concerned face at the sudden tension and cold atmosphere.

"...You're more than welcome to stay here, lad. This is the storage we use for my wife's homemade jams and harvested honey, but we've had this mat set up for company just like yourself. You can use it as long as you like, if there ain't no one out lookin' for you..."

XXX

"_Sasuke!"_

_I looked over my shoulder when Itachi called out to me. I turned back around when I saw his worried expression as he ran towards me, my feet dragging through the dirt as I swung back and forth slowly on the old swing by the river._

_The one that Itachi and I had made together._

"_Sasuke, where on earth have you been? I've looked everywhere for you," Itachi's voice was slightly flustered as he sat against the tree I was hanging from. I didn't raise my eyes to meet him. I just watched as my sandals scraped slowly against the soft dirt, creating a small cloud of dust._

"_What's it matter, anyways? It's Dad who doesn't care if I'm there or not," my voice sounded whiney and immature; I sounded just like the brat my father claimed me to be._

_Itachi sighed, bringing one knee up to his chest and resting his upper body against it, "He does care, Sasuke, he just has a lot on his mind right now. I know you want to prove yourself to him, but you're still young so there's no need to be hasty. He'll acknowledge your abilities soon enough,"_

"_He acknowledged yours when you were a lot younger than me," I argued, looking at my brother for the first time, "and you don't know what it feels like to be ignored by someone that you desperately want to love you," I looked away again, feeling my eyes moisten behind my lids. Itachi sighed again,_

"_Sasuke listen, I-"_

"_-Just go away, Itachi... I want to be alone," I said with a weak voice, my eyes watering and blurring my sight. I heard the rustle of tall grass when Itachi stood up, and the next thing I knew, I was being lifted from the swing and held against his chest. He walked over to bank of the river and sat, cradling me in his arms._

_I began to cry then. Warm tears ran down my cheeks and I nestled my head against his neck, sniffling and sobbing quietly. Itachi didn't say anything, he just sat and let me cry until I was tired._

"_No matter what happens... I'll always come find you. If ever we are separated, no matter how far apart... I will look for you, and I will find you," He wrapped his arms around my back, gently, yet firmly. I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck, crashing my wet face against his sturdy collarbone._

"_I love you, Sasuke."_

XXX

The tea had been hot, and soothing. I drank it slowly to savour the bitter, pungent flavour. When the cup was empty, it was dark outside. My two hosts hadn't moved much since they had seated themselves at my bedside. They had been conversing amongst each other quietly while sipping their tea, and at the same time providing assistance when I needed it with my own beverage. It had certainly succeeded in making my throat feel better.

"So, son, where are you from?" Matsudo asked, as his hand rubbed his wife's affectionately. They both looked at me with warm, welcoming faces that made my throat tighten.

"The land... of Fire..." I managed to whisper coarsely. The sound of my own voice was painful to hear.

"That's quite far away... what are you doing so far from home?" His wife asked, stilling looking at me.

"My... brother... and I... were... attacked... did you... find anyone... else...?" It hurt to speak still, though my aching gullet had been quenched.

"Have... you... seen... him...?" They looked at each other for a moment, then Matsudo closed his eyes and sat still with a sullen expression, before moving to the space beside my head – the right side, I couldn't see what he was doing – he sat for a moment, the sound of rustling was quiet yet echoed in the room, and then he moved back beside his wife. I saw what he was holding; tattered and stained with blood, yet neatly folded as good as it could've been.

Itachi's Akatsuki cloak.

"Is this your brother's?" He asked me as he unfolded it slightly, and held it up to the candlelit lanterns his wife had brought us. It was filled with holes, shredded, torn, and ripped. My mind went blank as I processed what it meant.

Itachi's Akatsuki cloak.

Ripped and covered in blood.

Yet Itachi wasn't here, or anywhere.

Where was he?

Whose blood was on that cloak?

My lips were parted into an appalled look of awestruck horror. I realized the truth of what this meant. Itachi was...

No. It wasn't true. It couldn't be. Itachi would never... so easily...

"When we found you on the river bank, this was wrapped around you. We thought it was yours, but it's much too big. If your brother was with you as you said, then is this his?"

I could only nod.

"We didn't find anyone else, though we did look. After we found you, and the broken bridge, we figured that there must have been some kind of accident. We searched the wreckage and river shore for days, but no one except you has shown up..."

I closed my eyes and let out a shaky breath. Itachi was probably in worse shape than I was; only he didn't have anyone looking after him. Without medical treatment, how could he have possibly survived?

What was I supposed to do now?

"_I love you, Sasuke."_

My eyes were clenched shut when hot tears started to leak from my eyes. I was completely silent, not letting a single sob escape my lips, as the warm droplets streamed down my temples and into my hair.

I fisted the blanket violently, suddenly finding the strength to do so. Yet at the same time, I felt so completely and utterly weak...

Weak... helpless...

_Alone_.

The man and woman exchanged glances, then stood to leave. Yumiko gathered the empty wooden tea cups while Matsudo blew out the lanterns and carried them away. After I heard the door shut, and felt the room darken completely, I waited, and listened to the retreating footsteps of my caretakers.

When I could no longer hear or sense any other living creature, I decided I was alone.

_I lied to you._

_I never wanted to be alone._

Now I could be vulnerable. Helpless.

I began to sob, and the pain within my body was utterly forgotten.

_Don't leave me._

~~~*~~~

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry. Forgive me? I know I promised that this chapter would be up much, much sooner. But life got in my way so I had to postpone it. Chapter eight, however, is almost done, and I considered waiting to finish it and then just publishing both chapters at once, but it's getting late so I would've had to make you all wait another day. So, I decided to post this chapter now. It's Thursday the 16th, so I'd say chapter eight will be up tomorrow night at the very latest. Again, thank you all so much for all the feedback. I love you guys. -heart-

Also, please forgive the boring chapter. Next chapter will have a lemon for you. :)


	8. Hide and Seek

Stay With Me

~Chapter Eight – Hide and Seek~

~~~*~~~

Four days passed, and slowly, I was getting better. I had regained mobility quite quickly, and was more than relieved to learn that I wasn't permanently paralyzed.

So once I gained the ability to stand, the rest only took patience and practice. It was really quite frustrating though, to know that I couldn't move much more than a few steps. But I was getting better. They removed the bandage from around my head, allowing me to see clearer, even though my eye was swollen and black.

My legs were quite mangled, for lack of a better word. Giant patches of swollen, black skin stuck out on random places all over my shins and thighs, making it diseased; _rotting_.

But the pain wasn't as bad now. A skilled shinobi knows how to control the nerves of their own body so pain doesn't affect them. I wasn't quite at that level, but I could certainly ignore intense physical pain.

I had to find Itachi.

Yumiko had been told by the Doctor to stay in bed for now, Matsudo told me. So I hadn't seen much of the pregnant woman in the last few days. Matsudo came to see me every few hours to check on me or help me move around, and brought me food. On more than one occasion, I found myself wishing that I hadn't dropped my backpack and my wallet inside it. The little money I had could've been used as compensation for these peoples' kindness, or at least some of it.

The village wasn't what I really expected it would be like. For the first time since I was brought here, I stepped out of the little wooden shack and glanced around the quaint rural town. All the houses were wooden, small, and supported by giant logs and tree shafts.

It wasn't modernized at all.

There wasn't really anything in this village that would make people come here. The people lived off their fields and livestock, and the deadly, fierce river that ran beside it. The shops only consisted of a few bakers and blacksmiths; nothing special, but very old-fashioned.

I was surprised that there were people who still lived like this; people who still slept on straw beds and farmed and built everything themselves, from scratch. Matsudo's house was small, yet comforting, and strangely humble. Yet it was beautifully simple at the same time.

"Here, eat this," He said as he sat beside me. We were sitting on the large stones that lined the shore of the _Kohaku River_, the deadliest and swiftest river in the South. He handed me a freshly cut apricot, which I thanked him for then began to eat. I took my time in staring at the nets that they had suspended into the water, held down by rocks used as weights, and attached to a tree that was growing out of the river. Ropes were looped along the top of the net, so that they could pull on it and real it back to shore. Rocks and wooden posts kept the net joined to the ground.

It made sense that they would invent something like this to use for catching fish. You'd have to be mad to try and fish in that river.

"So, what will you do when you get better? You've certainly got the hang of walking again – if you can walk up and down that long road from our house to the river!" He smiled, and I did my best to return it. Though I didn't really see the point in trying to look friendly; my beaten, swollen, bruised face was horrifying. I was hideous.

"I'm leaving as soon as I have the strength to go long distances," I replied simply. My voice was quiet and a bit forced, but for the most part it was back to its steady, deep tone.

"But where to?" Matsudo asked, dropping his goofy grin and giving me a stern, concerned look. I stared into the deep, rushing water that splashed against the rocks where we sat and jumped in waves, one over the other. I thought for just a moment, of how Itachi and I had fallen into that same water – had _bled _into it, had been washed away by it...

Maybe Itachi was still being washed away by it,

Maybe he was still _bleeding_ into it.

I blinked myself out of the gruesome image in my mind and replied curtly, "I have to find my brother,"

Matsudo didn't say anything after that. He just turned his head back at the river that I was entranced with, and we sat in silence for a long time until he left to check on his wife. The sun was setting.

My eyes scanned the dark water repeatedly, as if in some way hoping that Itachi would just emerge from its depths and climb to shore. And I would hold his head against my chest, kiss his wet, dripping face, let my hands and fingers tangle in his soaking hair, and I would never let him go, not ever again...

When my fantasy was ruined by my logical mind, it was dark. Wearily, I limped back to the little shack where I slept, at the top of the hill, next to Matsudo's house.

It was much further when it was dark out.

XXX

"_Four, Five, Six,"_

_I ducked my head further against the pile of folded blankets in our linen cupboard, and listened intently to Itachi's voice, evenly counting in a steady rhythm. We were playing Hide and Seek – one of my favourite games. I was currently squished between two fluffy comforters, barely peeking out from beneath the large blanket that was piled on top of me._

_There was no way he would find me here._

"_Seven, Eight, Nine,"_

_I did my best to stay completely still, but not because I didn't want to be found. The mountain of folded blankets I was laying on towered at least 6 feet high, and it was beginning to wobble from me lying on top of it. The only thing keeping it standing was the closet doors that were slightly ajar. I didn't move, I hardly even breathed._

"_Ten. Ready or not, here I come," Itachi hollered from his bedroom down the hallway. My body went as still as a statue for the next few seconds that I heard him moving around, searching various places for me._

_When at last I saw him exit his room from the door on the left, at the end of the hallway, I felt excitement swell in the pit of my stomach. This was the best part of the game._

_He looked left, down the stairs and into the living room, and then he looked right, down the end of the hall, and into the little closet where I was hiding. He decided to come towards me instead of going downstairs, but then he steered left and entered my bedroom. He came back a few moments later and went straight into the bathroom, and then re-entered the hallway. He didn't look in Mom and Dad's room, because he knew I would never go in there. Dad didn't like it when I did._

_So Itachi turned back towards me, and the closet. The footsteps he took in getting to me were slow and made my head whirl with excitement and anticipation. I considered jumping out and surprising him, but I wasn't exactly in the best position to do so._

_When he reached for the door handles, an alarm went off in the back of my mind. The only thing keeping this nearly 7-foot-tall pile of blankets standing was the doors._

_Before I could open my mouth to warn him at all, he pried the rusty doors open, and instantly the mass of fluffy cotton sheets toppled over. I let out an alarmed shriek when I fell out from between the two top comforters and collided with my shocked older brother, sending us both to the floor with the heap of blankets._

_Itachi landed on his back and the crumbled mountain of covers, and I landed on him, with my legs on either side of his waist and my head flat against his chest._

_For a moment, we didn't say anything. We just laid there and let our beating hearts slow to a normal pace. I found it amusing that Itachi had actually been startled when the stack of soft, harmless sheets fell on top of him. Well, I guess I fell on him first, but at least the blankets broke our fall._

_And then, I heard him laugh. It wasn't an amused little chuckle that he'd sometimes give me when he thought I was being cute; it was a real, genuine laugh. I looked at him sceptically until he calmed down, and then quirked an eyebrow when we caught each other's glance._

"_What's so funny, Nii-san?"_

_Itachi smiled and brought his hand to rest atop my head, and he chuckled before saying, "For a second, I thought you were a terrorist."_

_I stared at him blankly then said, in an honest, baffled tone, "What?"_

"_At first when you fell on top of me, I thought I was being jumped by some enemy ninja who was hiding in our linen closet."_

_I stared at him dumbly for a good 30 seconds, then burst out laughing. I pressed my cheek against the base of his neck as I tried to breathe, and I felt my eyes begin to water from the lack of oxygen._

"_Why would you assume _that_, Nii-san? Are you expecting someone to attack us?" I said in a playful, joking way. But the air around us suddenly changed – I looked up at Itachi and saw the sudden serious, almost nervous look on his face. I sat up and straddled his waist, then waited a second before calling,_

"_Nii-san?"_

_Itachi broke from his daze and looked me curiously, "hmm?" _

"_Are you okay?"_

_Itachi paused then smiled, and sat up as well, forcing me further down his body so I was sitting in his lap._

"_Of course, I just remembered that I have some mission preparations to do... can we play later?"_

_I pouted but nodded anyway. We stood up and began to refold and stack the blankets, until the mess was cleaned up._

"_So when we play later, it will be my turn to find you, right?" I asked just before he could turn and start heading downstairs. He looked at me over his shoulder and said,_

"_Yes, Sasuke. It's your turn to find me,"_

_He left._

XXX

Almost a week had passed since I had begun walking outdoors. Yumiko had gone into labour and delivered a healthy baby girl two days ago. They named her Kazusa.

Naturally Matsudo and his wife had been busy with their newborn child, leaving me to fend for myself much more. Matsudo had granted me access to their orchard and gardens, so I helped myself to the produce that was harvestable.

But today was the day that I would depart from here and go in search of Itachi. It had been nearly two weeks since the incident. I had to know if he was okay, or even alive. I couldn't stay here any longer. I've had plenty of survival training, so it's not like I would die out in the woods. If I could move, I would manage. I had to try.

"So, you're leaving?" Matsudo asked, as he approached me outside the food storage. I was holding Itachi's tattered cloak in my arms when I turned to face him.

"Yes," I answered, bowing low and deep, "thank you for your hospitality. I will remember this, and I am in your debt," I said and stood up straight, looking up at his wide grinning face.

"No need to thank me, lad. We were glad to help," and he reached behind him, and grabbed the bag that was hanging on his shoulder. Slinging it off, he held it out to me, "this is for you. It's a gift from me and the Misses, y'know, to wish you luck. With finding your brother, and all."

I glanced from the old, leather bag and up to the generous man's face several times before replying, "No, I can't accept this. You've done more than enough for me already," I said, trying to sound humble and not rude.

"Nonsense!" the man bellowed heartily, practically shoving the bag into my arms, "You've no food and no tools. How do you expect to survive out there with no supplies? These woods are nearly as fierce as that damn river!" He scolded, then placed both his hands on my shoulders and smiled widely again,

"Don't worry about anything, lad. It's the least we can do. But consider this too," He said and looked me hard in the eyes, "if you don't end up finding your brother, and you got nowhere else to go, then you should come right back here. I could use an extra pair of hands around the farm, now that my wife is occupied with the baby. And her and I've already talked about it, we can set up the food storage better. It could be your room. And food and board would be paid for by you helping me with chores. What do you say?"

I honestly didn't know what to say. I hadn't even considered _not_ finding Itachi. I couldn't exactly go back to Konoha; they thought I was dead and had basically exiled me as a traitor. Where else could I go? I didn't have a home anymore, not if I didn't have Itachi.

"I..." I looked down at my feet, unable to meet his gaze, "but... but I..."

"No..." I trailed off, then looked up at him again, "there's no way he's dead. My brother would never die so easily like that. He's alive, I... I can _feel_ it." I swung the leather sack onto my back and slipped my arms through the thick straps. "I'll find him, no matter what. But..."

I turned and caught his eyes again, as I took a step down the road that led to the river, "thank you, for everything. I will consider it. If... if my brother really is dead,"

He seemed satisfied with that, though he still sent me a pitying look as I walked away. He called out to me, and told me to be careful, and wished me luck once more. I waved as a reply, and then began my long walk down the river bank.

Two days passed, and I hadn't found a single clue about Itachi. Any evidence or hints that might have washed up on shore were surely gone now. And the supplies were beginning to lower in quantity.

There had been many useful things in that bag. There had been a roll of clean white bandages, a small hunting knife, a small wooden jar of strawberry jam, five slices of bread wrapped in a sheet of cloth, and three tiny wicker boxes lined with cloth and filled with berries, fruits, and vegetables. There had also been a single, thin, rectangle blanket rolled up for sleeping on, and a cord of rope. All of it had proven to be exceedingly useful thus far, and I was glad I had accepted the bag.

I continued walking until noon had come and gone. I ate a little bit of a slice of bread dunked in jam and continued going. It had been two weeks since I last saw Itachi. If he survived the fall, did he die of blood-loss? Or his injuries?

Pressing thoughts and images of Itachi's mangled body forced me to keep going, though with every hour, my hope decreased and decreased. Despondence was eating away at the seams of my mind.

I was ready to collapse right then and there on the hard, cold, wet rocks, when I noticed something out of place. Two of the larger rocks were... discoloured. They were _red_...

Like blood.

I knelt down and studied the odd red marks that were splattered on the gray stones. I looked around, scanning the field of rocks, then I saw the same thing – rocks splattered red, in an almost line-like shape. I stood up then and looked at both oddities at once, and noticed something that made my heart stop beating and then start beating twice as fast.

The red markings were a trail; a trail that led into the forest.

I immediately ran in the direction the trail of blood was pointing too. The edge of the forest was thick and bushy, but an obvious trail had been cut where the blood painted the ground. I followed the makeshift path, noting every drop of blood that was painted on the trees, ground, and vegetation. The further I went, the harder it was to follow the trail. Itachi had obviously been tired – the cuts through the bushes were getting sloppier and sloppier.

And all this blood...

Who could possibly survive losing that much blood?

I pulled out the miniature machete from my bag and started making cleaner cuts where Itachi's jagged ones had previously been. Hacking the branches as I went, I soon found myself in a small clearing. The trees around it made almost a perfect circle – just grass and the odd bush.

But something else was in that clearing as well.

Venturing forth and into the sunny dell, I glanced around observantly, scanning all the trees in a 360 degree rotation. And then my eyes landed on the tree right beside me, and my breath was ripped out of my lungs.

Itachi sat limp, his back against the tree, his legs sprawled in front of him lifelessly. His head was down and his eyes were closed. Numerous cuts and scrapes, still bleeding, were drawn on his body and ripped clothing. His legs were bruised, but not nearly as bad as mine had been. He had fresh wounds marring the skin of his chest through his open shirt.

I didn't breathe as I ran up to him, fighting the urge to fall into his lap and hug-strangle him. I bent down to his level and placed one hand gently on his shoulder, while my other one felt for a pulse. I found one, though it was faint.

Itachi was alive.

My eyes moistened slightly when the biggest relief of my life washed over me. He was alive. Itachi wasn't dead. He was okay.

"Itachi," I called, my voice slightly cracking with my weakening resolve. He hummed lightly in his half-dazed sleep, then raised his head and met my eyes. He smiled, though I knew he had to force himself to.

"I knew you'd find me," his voice sounded weak and sickly, just like mine had. But his injuries weren't as bad as mine had been, so I still felt relieved.

"Of course I'd find you," I said gently, and I pulled off my backpack and opened it. I fed Itachi some bread with jam and berries, then laid him down and began wrapping up his wounds. I tried to be delicate when cleaning and bandaging him, but he would still grimace when I went too close to a particularly painful injury.

"Itachi... what happened to us? How are we still alive?" I asked softly as I daubed the wounds with the corner of the blanket, soaking up as much blood as I could. I continued tending to them as we conversed,

"I used my ultimate technique... It was all I could think of to protect us... but it looks like it only protected me, really." He said, looking over my face which I knew was still grotesque. I shook my head.

"I would have died. That means it must have worked," I debated with him, "but what about the ANBU? Did they see you use this, 'ultimate technique'? Won't they come looking for us?" I inquired, my eyes trained on the task at hand. But I still saw Itachi from the corner of my eye shake his head.

"This river, the 'Kohaku River', is infamous throughout nearly all of the great shinobi villages. It's called the River of Blood because of the legends that say it washed away an entire city in a single night when it flooded, and killed everyone in it. The legend says that for the next seven days, the river was red like blood. So naturally, anyone who's ever fallen into it has been considered dead by everyone else. No one has ever survived, not even great shinobi,"

"Until now," I added, feeling suddenly very honoured that Itachi and I were the only two people in history to ever survive such a deadly fall.

Itachi smiled and nodded.

A few hours past and Itachi and I were lying sprawled on the now bloody sheet, with Itachi's tattered robe strewn across us as a means of warmth. It was dark now, but the sky was still light enough that we could see each other. And the moon was fairly bright as well.

"Sasuke..." Itachi said, lying beside me, his hand trailed up my side affectionately. I sighed and nuzzled against his chest, feeling tired yet not wanting to sleep. I was afraid that if I woke up, this would all have just been a dream, and Itachi and I would be separated again.

Itachi shifted and looked down at me, causing me to look up at him, and for a moment we just stared into each other's eyes. Itachi's face wasn't as beat up as mine; he had minor scrapes and bruises, but he still looked beautiful. I wondered if he thought the same thing about my face, or if he was affected by the still dark bruises and cuts.

He brought his hand down to cup my cheek, and pulled me a little closer to his face, then he closed the space between us and kissed me slowly on the lips. I closed my eyes and moved closer to him, pressing my lips harder and deeper against his. We opened our mouths and let our tongues brush together, coaxing one another to go further.

His hand trailed beneath my shirt, his fingers lightly rubbing my sides. The tingling feeling spread over my skin and made me shiver. Itachi rolled over, so that I was on my back and he was laying over me, his legs on either side of my thighs. I let him run his hands over my chest and thighs, sighing as he did so.

"You're okay with this?" He asked, as he pulled on the hem of my shirt, lifting it up to reveal my marred stomach. I nodded.

"Yeah,,, but will you be all right?" Itachi hadn't received proper medical attention, and I had. I was worried about the condition of his body. He only smiled,

"Don't worry; I know some basic medical ninjutsu. I have no serious injuries," to prove his point he sat up and removed his shirt, showing me the various markings and wounds. But nothing looked too serious. I sat up as well and removed my own shirt, but most of my upper chest was wrapped in bandages. Itachi didn't seem to mind.

He began to kiss my neck and collarbone, gently easing me onto my back again. His hands ran over the soft material of my bandaged ribs as he licked slowly over the large vein in my neck. I moaned quietly, bringing my hands up to roam over his sides and hips.

Itachi was alive.

We were together again.

Itachi grabbed the waistband of my shorts and lifted my lower back off the ground, "Open your legs wider," he said huskily. I complied and he slipped my shorts and boxers off my hips in one swift motion, then pulled them off my legs and threw them carelessly behind us.

He licked and sucked three of his fingers, coating them heavily with saliva. I couldn't see much of what he was doing or what was going on, since it had gotten much darker. I was, needless to say, startled when I felt his finger rubbing against my behind, looking for my entrance. When he found it, he slipped a single finger inside. I shifted slightly but didn't squirm, until he added his second finger.

As he began to thrust them in and out slowly, scissoring them to stretch the skin, I tried to move along with his hand to get used to the feeling. I let out an inaudible whine when the third was added, and my tight passage was stretched much larger than it ever was supposed to.

He continued to thrust and move his hand and fingers, then removed them altogether. I heard a rustling of fabric, and the quiet zip of his pants coming undone. Within moments I felt something much larger but equally wet against my entrance.

"Go ahead... it's okay," I reassured when he hesitated. I heard him sigh, then lean down and he kissed me gently, rolling his hips and forcing the head of his hardened cock into my body. I began to whimper loudly, my body tensed and I squirmed. The large, painful shaft was pushed even deeper into me and I began to pant. Itachi whispered for me to relax, but I was finding it difficult to do so.

He waited a moment until I was breathing less frantically and my body wasn't as tense, then he began to slowly thrust in and out. I moaned and writhed beneath him, bringing my legs up to wrap around his hips, throwing my head back and crying out. He began to go faster, harder, and deeper, and soon I felt a wave of intense pleasure rip through my back and spine, making my entire body shake with ecstasy. I cried out with the new and completely unfamiliar feeling. I had never felt anything so intense in my life.

Sensing this, Itachi began to aim for that same spot, hitting it almost every time. In a matter of minutes I was shuddering violently at the pleasure, and with a loud cry I came all over our chests and stomachs, coating them with sticky, white liquid.

Itachi moaned and rested his forehead against my shoulder; my body completely limp beneath his. He continued to thrust hard and fast inside me, until I felt his body tense and he released himself completely inside my body.

Panting, Itachi collapsed beside me on the now soiled blanket, his arms slipping beneath me to pull me closer. The sounds of our uneven breath resounded through the little clearing, drowning out the cries of the cicada in the tall grass.

"I missed you..." I whispered, exhausted, nuzzling my face against his ribcage, "so, so much..."

Itachi didn't say anything, and for a moment I thought he was asleep, but then he rolled onto his side, facing me, and pulled me against his chest. His arms wrapped around my back in a secure hug, and he buried his face in my hair.

"I thought I'd never see you again," Itachi said, his voice quiet and worried, "I was so _scared_..."

I smiled, my eyes watering, and I returned the hug, resting my body completely against his.

"I love you, Sasuke." He whispered, hugging me a little tighter for reassurance. I closed my eyes, my heart was beating fast, yet I was completely content. I was safe. Everything would be okay now.

I was home.

"I love you too, Nii-san."

~~~*~~~

**Author's Note: **My God. There's enough fluff in this fanfiction to choke a goat. o-o I apologize for the intense, sappy moment. It wasn't really my intent for it to turn out like this. A good author is someone who can plan exactly what they want to write, what they want their writing to say, and predict how their readers will feel about their writing, and then actually write it and have it turn out how they planned. I guess I'm not quite there yet. *sigh* Well, I will continue to work on it. So thank you very much once again to everyone who has read so far. I hope you will continue reading as this story comes to a finish within the next few chapters. :) This one's for you, my readers!


	9. Out of Reach

Stay With Me

~Chapter Nine – Out of Reach~

~~~*~~~

"You never did tell me where exactly we're going," I spoke up as I hopped down from a large, smooth rock and onto the rocky river shore. "I want to know."

Itachi slowed his pace a little and turned his head to look at me, "We're going to a new village. A civilian village," he replied stoically. I halted in silent thought for a moment and watched his back then said,

"Why?"

Itachi stopped as well and looked back at me. I stared at him, right in the eyes, until he sighed and lowered his gaze.

Almost as if he was guilty.

"Because it's safe there. No shinobi from any of the Five Great Nations would ever need to go there or even pass through. It's remote and peaceful, and well hidden from the rest of the world. No one will find us. No one will interrupt us or try to separate us," he stepped forward and rested his hands on my shoulders. "That is what you want, right? I haven't given you much choice up till now. Sasuke, do you want to come with me?"

Uncertainty rang in my ears. The slightly narrowed look in his eyes told me that Itachi wanted me to say _yes_. And I wanted to say yes, didn't I?

Of course I did.

"I want to be wherever you are, no matter where that is."

I answered quietly. My voice sounded bitter in my ears, but maybe I was imagining things. Itachi slightly raised an eyebrow but then smiled, that warm, gentle smile. He leant down and kissed my lips chastely, careful not to bump any of our swollen wounds together.

My face, although it had regained much of its colour, I knew was still bruised and sensitive. Itachi's face was in no better condition. We had taken a few days to rest in the protection of the forest, and now finally we were heading towards our final destination. Without the ANBU trailing us, we could go at a slow and restful pace, which was good news for both of us.

_I want to be wherever you are._

I hadn't lied to Itachi. As the hours dragged on into days, we continued walking. Supplies were scarce now, and we were resting more often than not. But all of my time was taken up by my insistent thoughts of the other day.

"_Do you want to come with me?"_

Why did he even have to ask? Why did Itachi doubt me? Didn't he trust my feelings?

Did he think he was forcing me?

The sun began to set and we moved further into the brush, setting up for the night. Itachi started a fire while I pulled out the blanket and laid it on the short, hard grass. We settled down next to each other, our sides brushing together as we stared up at the sky through the treetops. Slowly, the indigo sky was being stained by navy clouds as the sun finished setting.

Itachi wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close, nuzzling against my side. I shifted to avoid putting pressure on my wounds, and in return draped my arms over his chest. The chilled night air bit at our skin, freezing our wounds, but the warmth of the fire mixed with our body heat kept it at bay, enough for us to sleep comfortably.

Cuddling together, I let my eyes fall shut as I breathed in Itachi's familiar scent, mixed with the scent of the forest and night air.

XXX

_He was always so sure of everything. No matter what it was Sasuke was doing, he was always sure it was what he wanted to do. His feelings never wavered, and he never had any doubts. Maybe it was just his childish naïveté, but I always loved that about him._

"_Sasuke-chan, what do you want to be when you grow up?" our Aunt would ask him._

"_I want to be a great shinobi, just like Nii-san, and work on the police force, just like Dad." He would answer._

_He never even had to think about it. He had his dream, and he was willing to scale to any heights in order to reach it._

_It wasn't that he would never be skilled enough, or strong enough, no, it wasn't that at all. But Sasuke never knew the evil secrets that our clan hid. He never knew the bloodstained path or the empty future. More than anything, I took Sasuke's dream from him. I murdered our family, abandoned him, and took with me all of his hopes and dreams, as well as most of his heart. That, more than anything, Sasuke can never forgive me for._

_And I can't blame him. I was the one who decided to keep the truth from him. I know very well that if I were to tell him, he could be mine, and I could whisk him away somewhere safe. That is a hopeless dream that I will never live to recognize. My dream, Sasuke's dream, and the dreams of our clan will die with the last of our blood._

_And like a bad dream, our entire existence will fade away when the sun rises._

_Forgive me, Sasuke._

_These hopeless dreams I've led you with will bring you only unhappiness._

_But we can't turn back now._

_I wanted to stay with you, in our home. I wanted to hold you during those long nights when you felt you weren't strong enough. I wanted to cradle you against my chest and stroke your hair, like Mother used to when we were infants. I wanted to take you into the forest to train in the early morning, when the sun would rise and the birds would sing all around us, just like Father used to._

_I wanted to hold you higher above everything else, so that maybe, just maybe, you could touch the sky. Because the sky is the closest thing we have to Forever. No matter how high we manage to go, we will never touch the sky. It goes on forever and has neither a beginning nor an end. It is everything humanity ever wanted to be._

_And I wanted to reach the sky, with you as my wings. _

_That was my dream._

_But that dream, like the sky, is forever out of reach._

XXX

The morning was bright like the day, yet cold like the night. The birds would sing to wake us from our sleep, and we would gladly let them.

I felt Itachi stir and rise next to me, but I wasn't ready to get up. Just a little longer, I thought. Let me sleep, just a little longer.

But when Itachi stood up, leaving my side, I shivered violently from the sudden chill. Curling up on my side, I sought desperately to regain the warmth of Itachi's body heat, but my wish was not granted.

Opening a single eye, I glared at Itachi's retreating back half-heartedly. With an irritated sigh, I sat up and stretched my arms up above my head.

Yawning, I stood and began to repack our bag. Itachi returned shortly after I was done and told me to light a fire, and I noticed he was carrying the knife we had in one hand, and a dead hare in the other. The brown rabbit had blood soaking the fur of its neck, signally that it was indeed deceased.

Without wasting time, I performed the necessary hand signs and relit last night's fire. Itachi set to work skinning and cleaning the meat with the knife, gracefully disposing of the inedible parts next to our fire pit.

In a matter of moments the meat was cooked, turning a delicious golden brown colour. Taking it from the fire, Itachi evenly divided the morsel in half, handing me my share. I gratefully accepted it and felt my stomach rumble, obviously thankful for such a breakfast.

We ate in silence, savouring the juicy, tender meat that filled our mouths. I kept my eyes on the fire as I took in probably the only meal I would have all day. We needed what little food we had left for the trip.

As the sun rose above the forest, the warm golden rays of light beamed through the leaves, striking the ground in rows of radiance. Itachi and I sat there, basking in the glow of the world around us. Our world.

We finished our meal, with the air of contentment hanging around us like a curtain. The silence was welcoming and serene, and it suited both of us in this one moment.

How long had it been since we were like this?

_Since we were happy._

After cleaning up from our campsite, we began walking again. Itachi walked slowly enough that I could limp beside him, though I knew it was partly because he was limping, too. It would be quite a while before we were back to our regular physique.

We didn't say much over the course of that day. The endless path before us seemed to grow even longer the further we walked. But I had no choice but to trust Itachi. He was my only chance. There were no other options.

Not that I needed any other options, of course.

Annoyingly, I found my thoughts drifting back to Konoha over and over again. This was the longest and farthest I had been away from home. Had the snow melted a little yet? Or was it still piling up?

Were Naruto and Sakura and Kakashi-sensei worried about me? Were they thinking of me?

Did they miss me, too?

I couldn't block the thoughts from my head – the thoughts of my best friend, rosy cheeks and soaked blonde hair, as he went tumbling down a hill of snow, and an entirely separate body with matching red cheeks and bright blossom-pink hair, running after him. And Kakashi-sensei would be sitting on a snow-free branch, watching his students from the corner of his eye, while he scanned his orange book mercilessly.

And for once in my life, I found myself missing someone who hasn't my deceased family.

_I want to go home._

Terrified, I stopped dead in my tracks. My gaze was glued to the back of Itachi's head as he continued to walk in front of me, seeming not to notice that I had stopped. Horrified, I allowed myself to look Itachi up and down, trying to reassure myself that I wasn't homesick.

But I couldn't deny the ache inside my chest; the yearning, to see my comrades again.

And for a moment, I wondered if I was a complete idiot. Being away from people you cared about hurt, yes, I couldn't deny it. But it didn't hurt nearly as much as being away from the one person you love the most.

This was nothing compared to the separation between Itachi and I these last five years.

Naruto and Sakura, and even Kakashi... I cared about them, yes, but their lives were meaningless compared to Itachi's. They were insignificant. They meant nothing. Nothing compared to Itachi.

Right?

XXX

_I didn't love anything like I loved the sky._

_It was the only thing in the world that didn't have an end._

_Itachi used to tell me that the sky was the only eternal thing we humans could name, and that it was humankind's dream to reach it someday._

_I wish I could fly._

_Itachi used to pick me up and lift me high above his head, and twirl us around in circles. He would tell me to close my eyes, and I would. He would tell me to extend my arms, and I'd obey. _

_It felt like flying._

_The way the sun was warm and bright against our skin, illuminating us, making us glow. Everything about those times is precious. Because in my memories, life is perfect. There was never such a thing as sadness or suffering. Every day was something filled with joy; something to be coveted and cherished._

_Something that is so far away now._

_It was bliss, euphoria, joy..._

_We were so happy._

_When Itachi would lift me off the ground, I felt so far from the entire world. All I could feel was the wind. All I could see was the sky. Life, and anything that might be painful, was left to rot on the ground beneath me._

_Except Itachi, of course._

_Itachi was like my wings._

_He flew with me, not beside me, or in front or behind me, but with me. Like we were connected._

_What was so wrong about that?_

_Itachi used to always say that we could never let anyone know about how close we were. I knew why too – they thought it was wrong. Our bond, which was stronger than any other bond in the world, was something to be shunned. Berated._

_Despised._

_Itachi told me once that our bond was so precious; some people spent their entire lives wishing they had it, too. And it wasn't hard to see why. The harsh reality called Life wasn't able to touch us in our world. We were safe from everything, because we had indestructible walls surrounding us._

_And most people waste their whole lives, only dreaming of having what we had._

XXX

To say that I was surprised was a huge understatement.

The 'quiet, peaceful village' my brother had mentioned was nothing like what I'd imagined.

I could faintly see the large wooden houses behind the city walls as we neared the bridge that led to the entrance gates.

It reminded me of Konoha.

Only the city itself seemed much smaller; and it was a civilian village. Children and livestock ran freely in the open fields; orchards surrounded the city walls, and on the other side of the city was the vast western ocean.

It was beautiful.

As we came over a large hill, I could see numerous boats docked the piers that made up the entire western wall. People, who I assumed were fishermen or hobby sailors, were scurrying about their boats and hoisting sails. There were dozens of farmers and agriculturists roaming the fields and orchards, tending to their animals and gardens.

As we crossed the large wooden bridge that stretched across the (now very calm) River of Blood, I could see clearly beyond the gates and into the streets of this magical city. They were crowded with people – happy, bustling people.

I let Itachi lead me to the gates, where two people that I guessed were guards greeted us. One man, an older guy with a thick gray beard and a receding hairline, smiled genuinely when he saw us. His younger and equally cheerful partner smiled as well.

"Well, well, well," the older gentlemen chuckled as he came right up to us, his eyes focused on Itachi.

"I never thought I'd see you of all people looking so beat up, Itachi-san." He laughed heartily, placing his hand on Itachi's shoulder, "It's good to see you've finally come home."

Itachi tilted his head downwards in a polite bow before responding,

"It's good to see you as well, Shichiro-san." He turned to the other male, "You too, Taoroku-san."

"Welcome back, Itachi." He replied, casually, before he turned towards me. "And who's this?"

Itachi placed a hand on my back, between my shoulder blades. "This is Sasuke, my younger brother."

Both of the men's' faces seemed to light up at Itachi's declaration, and the older man at once held his hand out for me to take, a large grin stretched across his face,

"Oh! _You're_ the infamous Sasuke-kun?!" His smiled widened as I took his offered hand, "Pleased to meet you. I'm Nakase Shichiro, and this is my son, Taoroku."

The younger man reached out his hand as well, which I also accepted. "We've heard a lot about you," he smiled, releasing my hand, "It's good to finally meet you."

"It's nice to meet you as well," I replied, rather awkwardly. How did these people know about me? Did Itachi really talk about me that much?

Shichiro's grin shrunk only slightly as he turned back towards Itachi, his eyes shining brightly. "That house hasn't been touched since you left, Itachi-san. Yorikujo-san figured it'd be best to leave it the way it was, for when you returned. She knew you'd come back eventually," and his grin widened again, as his eyes closed in an upturned position.

Itachi smiled back, and bowed to show his gratitude. "Thank you for welcoming my brother and I back. Please pass my thanks on to Yorikujo-san as well, when you see her." And with that he straightened, and gestured for me to follow him as he walked past the two village men.

"That's no trouble at all, and be sure to come by with your brother later! I'm sure my wife will be happy to see you. You can stay for dinner," he offered, and Itachi turned back to him with that same smile,

"Thank you, that sounds wonderful. We'll be there," he said and turned, walking away, with me following right behind him.

People seemed to stare at us as we passed by them in the streets, but not in an unpleasant way. Most would gasp and point to us in astonishment, many would smile and wave, and some would even call out a 'welcome home!' to Itachi when we walked by.

We walked right through the village, until we were near the several docks that lined the beach. As the ground took a slight inclination upward, I saw a larger house nested on top of a rocky cliff, overhanging the sea. The house itself was large and consisted mostly of giant wooden pillars supporting it, and its walls were large panes made of clear glass. A balcony protruded from the rear end on the house, and hung almost further over the ocean than the cliff itself.

I gawked in amazement at the beautiful craftsmanship of the architectural structure, which looked more like a work of art than a building. Was it really a house? It looked so complex and articulate – it must have taken years to build.

Itachi sauntered right up to the front door, which was large and made of a beautiful red oak wood. Without hesitation, he grasped the bronze handle and opened the heavy wooden door, allowing light to flood the already bright house.

"Welcome to your new home, Sasuke."

~~~*~~~

**Author's Note: I'm sorry this took so insanely long. What can I say, life interfered. Anyways, I apologize this chapter was boring/rushed/sex-less. I hope the next chapter (which hopefully won't take as long .) will make up for it. Thank you for reading!**


	10. Just a Game

Stay With Me

~Chapter 10 – Just a Game~

~~~*~~~

The sun streamed in through the glass walls, making the cream-coloured blankets look golden. The clear azure sky could be seen from every direction, as well as the vast ocean that seemed to connect with it. The blue canvas surrounded me on all sides as I sat up from the cushiony bed, stretching from a long and peaceful sleep.

I hadn't slept that well in many, many months.

Standing up from the bed, I glided over to the glass doors that led to the balcony and slid them open, letting a cool ocean breeze sweep past my pyjama-clad body. I stepped onto the large wooden deck and let the chilled boards numb the soles of my feet as I walked to the railing, staring down into the murky cerulean water.

So... this was it. This was my home now. My life.

It had only been about a week since Itachi and I had come to this place, this strange and secret village.

And it was that same day that Itachi told me, about how long ago, he helped build this village.

It was back when he first made Chuunin, when he was only nine years old. He and a few other members of the Uchiha clan went to assist the construction workers in building the walls surrounding this village. It had been a C-rank mission. Since then, of course, the other few members of that mission had died, and now Itachi was the only one from the Hidden Leaf village who knew where this village was.

And he had come here many times over the past few years. He had acquainted himself with the villagers, and especially with their mayor, Yorikujo-san, who in return for his occasional services, let Itachi build a house on the cliff side.

And by services, I mean that Itachi would assist the village with any rough physical labour that they needed done, such as helping repair walls at a high elevation, or picking up the remnants from old, collapsed houses. Common things; things that he didn't need to waste his time doing, nonetheless he always helped out when he was walking through.

So to show her thanks for Itachi's generosity, mayor Yorikujo-san officially gave Itachi citizenship into this village, and his own home to go with it. The villagers came to see Itachi as one of their own, and thus Itachi came to live here when he wasn't busy with Akatsuki. It was his home, and now it was my home, too.

And this home that Itachi had designed himself; was like a shimmering jewel on the sandy beach, with clear glass walls that reflected the sun and glittered as bright as the ocean surface. The furniture was neither modern nor outdated – as most of it was hand-fashioned by the village craftsmen, and was built from sturdy wood and carved to be a beautiful work of art all on their own.

I liked it here, it was peaceful; soothing. The entire place was laidback and calming, and tranquil, but still... it was missing something.

I missed my teammates.

I missed Sakura, and the way she would look up at me with those big green eyes and smile, and greet me in the mornings. I missed the shrill and angry sound of her voice when she would scold Naruto, or the scowl on her face every time Kakashi-sensei showed up late for early morning training.

I missed Kakashi-sensei, and his constant indifferent attitude. I missed seeing him propped up against a tree trunk, orange book in hand, completely oblivious to Naruto and Sakura's empty threats for being lazy. I missed the way he would keep us waiting for hours first thing in the morning, only to arrive five hours later with some pathetic excuse.

But most of all, I missed Naruto.

I missed his loud, obnoxious voice. I missed the way he always promised to someday defeat me, or the way he would shout in frustration every time I showed him up, or the way he was always struggling and pushing himself to best me. I missed the childish antics and annoying pranks he always pulled to get attention, or the way he would always seem to get into trouble. I missed hearing him rant constantly about ramen, or being Hokage. I missed seeing the look in his eyes whenever he saw the great stone faces, or whenever Sakura smiled at him.

I missed them, all of them.

Even though now, I had Itachi. I had my brother back. My dream had been realized... and yet I felt like I had lost something more important than a dream.

My life was so different now. My days consisted of taking care of the house, or helping Taoroku-san and his mother take care of their hobby farm while Itachi takes Taoroku-san's place helping his father with work. In the evenings Itachi and I spend time alone, training or doing... other things... and then we have dinner and go to bed.

I felt like we were playing House, pretending we were newlyweds on our honeymoon.

Just playing pretend.

Just a game.

_And still something's missing._

When I had lived in Konoha, I had missed Itachi. But life was simpler without him. He's always complicating things; twisting them into being more than what they really are; confusing them and me until I don't know what do with myself.

_He breaks me into little pieces, and then picks them up and puts them back together with his own hands._

As the smell of salt and fish invaded my nostrils, I heard the sound of seagulls bellowing high up in the air, and the bustling of busy sailor and fishermen down below in the harbour, snapping me from my daze. Glancing out at the clear blue ocean again, I swore I could hear Naruto's irritating voice; laughing in his obnoxious way, and Sakura's angry reprimanding tone, rebuking him for being too loud in the early morning.

And then I realized, that maybe, just maybe, my mind was playing tricks on me; forcing me to hear their voices again to rub it in my face that I actually missed them.

Letting a bitter smirk cross my face, I sighed and stretched, ready to go back inside and start my day. Itachi had been gone all morning, and would probably be home soon. I wanted to be ready for him when he returned.

Sighing once more, I cast a last longing glance down at the rocky shore, and then, my breath hitched.

My heart stopped.

Time stopped.

Standing out amidst the several bustling boatmen and seamen, was the unmistakable and undeniable profile of a certain blonde idiot, dressed in a gaudy orange jumpsuit that only _he _would wear. And standing on either side of him; stood a red-clad pink-haired kunoichi, and a tall, vest-wearing Jounin with a silver mane.

They were here. It wasn't an illusion. It hadn't been my mind's evil tricks – they were _here_.

And they were heading this way.

As quickly and stealthily as I could manage, I ducked down below the railing, cursing Itachi for building this entire house practically out of glass. Scurrying towards the doors, I bolted into our bedroom and began to hastily dress myself, mindlessly grabbing my wallet and running out the door, not bothering to lock it.

I ran past the road and fled into the forest, leaping on tree branches as I hastily sped towards town. I had to find Itachi. I had to find Itachi before they did.

Even if I wanted to see them.

Even if I missed them.

I would _not_ be separated from my brother again. Not ever.

So I ran.

XXX

_Sasuke's little hand was cold in mine, as I wrapped my larger and warmer fingers around his tiny frozen ones. He smiled up at me and pulled me further through the busy snowy streets, nearly crashing into several eager civilians. _

_This was a good time of year, Sasuke loved the snow._

_Sasuke liked the snow because it meant hot chocolate and cuddling under thick, warm blankets. And of course, because of the endless cheerful mood that only came once a year. I, on the other hand, preferred autumn over winter. It wasn't as cold, and the leaves always seemed to turn a brighter shade of auburn in Konoha than anywhere else._

_But I liked winter, too._

_Because Sasuke smiled the most in winter._

_We darted through large quantities of people until finally Sasuke found the special tea shop he had been looking for. Excitedly, he didn't hesitate to pull me through the doorway and find a booth in the back to sit._

_Taking a seat next to him, I helped Sasuke remove his coat while a waitress came and took our order. We ordered hot beverages and dumplings, sharing a plate of them between the two of us. I made Sasuke promise not to tell mom that I let him have sweets before dinner, and he, of course, agreed to secrecy. _

"_Nii-san?"_

"_Hmm?" I inquired, taking a bite of the steaming-hot dumpling. _

"_Nii-san... is it scary to go on missions?"_

_His voice was quiet; embarrassed. He wasn't looking at me, he was staring at the steaming cup in his hands – at the hot tea which he had barely sipped._

_Thoughtfully, I waited a moment and mulled over his question before replying,_

"_Yeah, it can be pretty scary sometimes. Especially when you don't know where you're going, or when you'll be able to come home. But when you're in the midst of battle, the adrenaline sort of makes you forget about how scared you are."_

_I didn't bother to explain to him about the scare of being near-death, he was too young to understand._

_Besides, that's not something that a child's mind should have to contemplate._

_He was looking at me – puzzled, deep in thought. "Nii-san, even you get scared on missions?" he asked._

_I smiled at him then and took to staring at my own tea, mimicking his pose. "Yes, Sasuke. Even I get scared on missions. Being a shinobi isn't easy, and you're life is always on the line, with every battle you face. Being a shinobi means fighting countless battles, which means you're always in danger, and in return, you're always frightened."_

_His brows furrowed together in deep thought, as he nervously looked down at his hands._

_He was so cute._

"_Will I...will I ever be a great shinobi like you? One who isn't afraid of anything? One who can't be defeated by anyone? I want to be a great shinobi, too, and make father proud like you did. I don't care how many battles I have to fight!"_

_That look of burning determination that I adored was glowing in his eyes, setting them aflame. I smiled at him and ruffled his hair, encouraging him to follow his dream and never give up._

_Though honestly, as we paid our tab and left the restaurant, and his small hand was encased in mine again, a single thought was running through my head,_

'_I hope he never regrets those words.'_

_So we walked back to the Uchiha complex, hand-in-hand, until at last we saw the foreboding gates and Sasuke let go of my hand, running toward the Omni-benevolent gateway without a care or worry in his pretty little head._

_And I found myself wondering, what would the future hold for the two of us? What will happen to Sasuke when the revolt begins? This pure, innocent, wonderful little child..._

_And then the thought struck me, like a bolt of lightning, it pierced my mind and broke my heart._

_This might be my last winter with Sasuke._

XXX

I have to find him. I have to find him quickly. No, I have to find him, _now._

Panicked, and with my anxiety rapidly increasing, I rushed through the forest trees as easily as normal running – as transporting this way was second nature to me now.

If I didn't find Itachi before _they _did, all would be lost. Or worse, if _they _found _me_ before I found Itachi.

No doubt that they came here to find me. It's been over a month. Sakura must have been worried sick, even Naruto. But wouldn't the ANBU trailing us have told the Elders I was dead? Didn't they label me a traitor? In that case, were they here to find my corpse? But that made no sense either – that was ANBU work. They wouldn't send two genin and one Jounin this far out to do _that_. Especially not when we knew each other so well. They wouldn't risk letting personal feelings get involved.

None of it made sense.

At last I reached the outskirts of the shopping metropolis, pausing to scan the area to be sure that nothing was suspicious. Satisfied that all was clear, I jumped onto the nearest roof and began examining the crowds of people in the busy streets, searching for Itachi.

When the street turned out to be Itachi-less, I moved on to the next one, leaping from roof to roof, inspecting each avenue as I dashed through them. Finding this search to be fruitless, I changed direction, heading for Shichiro-san's house, hoping that maybe Itachi would be there.

When my feet touched the dirt in front of their house, I began frantically knocking on the hard wooden door. In a matter of seconds, Taoroku-san opened the door and looked down at me, surprised.

"Sasuke-kun? What brings you here all of the sudden?" he asked, his voice monotone and bored.

"Have you seen Itachi? Was he here? I can't find him and I need to speak to him as soon as possible," I panted out, my voice was a bit raspy and breathless.

He seemed to contemplate my question for a moment, but his face was blank. Then he blinked and replied,

"Well he was here earlier this morning, but he said he was going straight home. Did he not show up?"

I was quiet for a moment, thinking that Itachi must have come home... right as Kakashi and the others made it to our door.

_Fuck_.

"He... might have. Thanks, I'll go see if he's there." I said quietly, turning on my heal and dashing away. I heard him call something after me, but I couldn't distinguish what it was, nor did I go back and ask for clarification.

Opting to take the road this time instead of going through the forest, I skimmed through a sea of people, manoeuvring through them with a skilful and graceful footing. When it seemed that it was taking too long, I leapt onto the nearest roof and began hopping on shingle-covered ceilings again.

When our home came into view, I slowed my pace to almost a jog, peering around cautiously for signs of my old team. There was no one in sight, save for the busy seamen down in the pier.

I sauntered to the door and pulled it open, hoping that Itachi would be there waiting for me. But Itachi was not there, and neither was anyone else. I ran through the large, glass building, calling out my brother's name several times, but was never met with a response. Flustered, I exited the structure and found myself at a loss once again.

If I waited here, there was a chance that Itachi would show up. That was a 'best case' scenario. But at the same time, _they_ could show up in Itachi's stead, and I would be damned. If I went looking for Itachi again, the possibilities of finding him were slim. But they were better than Team 7's chances of finding him, for I knew this village better than they.

Then there's the alternative: they could have already encountered Itachi. They might have fought him, and if that were the case, then I might very well be too late.

What would I do if my friends killed my brother?

_My lover._

Or what if it were the other way around? If Itachi took the lives of my comrades, _even in self-defence_, could I forgive him?

I willed myself to stop thinking about it, and without any other choice, I ran back in the direction of town.

Where the hell was Itachi?!

"Sasuke!"

Upon hearing my name being shouted, I halted mid-dash, and spun around, facing none other than an out-of-breath Taoroku-san.

"What is it?" I asked, more impatiently than I had intended.

He looked at me for a moment, hesitant, and then turned his gaze to the ground. Before I could open my mouth he said,

"It's just... my Dad said that, some people arrived in town this morning. They were looking for their lost teammate. And they said that his name was... Sasuke,"

"Yes, they're looking for me. I already know that they're here," I said, a bit irritable.

"O-Oh?" He responded, startled, but then continued, "My Dad came home and told us right away, Itachi was there when he gave the news. Right away Itachi said that he was going home to see you, and he left. But Dad didn't get the chance to tell him that... he told them where you guys were living."

"They came by this morning. Luckily I was able to sneak out before they could spot me," I replied, steadily rising in anxiousness.

"And..." Taoroku began, but his voice trailed off.

"And...?" I repeated, lifting an eyebrow suspiciously. "And what?"

He sighed, frustrated, and then met my equally frustrated gaze. "The guys who're looking for you, they say that Itachi is a criminal – that he _kidnapped_ you, and that he's a traitorous murderer! If the village finds out, there'll be mayhem!"

"It's not true," I said, almost in a whisper, "And the villagers would never believe it,"

"I know that," he said, "what I'm saying is, if the villagers hear these bias accusations, they'll go on a manhunt looking for your teammates! I just came here to warn you, you shouldn't get involved with this. Come home with me and hide out till it's over," he suggested, seemingly frantic.

"Thanks for the offer," I replied, "But I can't do that. I have to find Itachi, and I can't let any harm come to my teammates either."

"If the villagers find out that you're protecting a bunch of good-for-nothing, lying shinobi, they won't forgive you either." He warned.

I smiled then turned my back to him and said, before running off again, "I know."

Taking Taoroku's less-than-pleasant advice, I chose to take the forest 'trail' again instead of the road. It'd be better to avoid the villagers right now – who knows how much these rumours could have spread.

Bounding across tree branches, I launched myself towards a large oak tree but my leap was interrupted; a horde of shuriken was aimed to cut me off. Not to hit me – either the aim was poor or my attacker meant only to unbalance me – but it did deter me from making a safe landing on the nearest branch. Instead I fell, hurtling towards the ground, just barely managing to land on my feet with a bit of grace.

The bundle of nine sharpened shuriken stuck out of the ground, and as I looked up in the direction they had come from, my eyes widened – for only a millisecond.

"I finally found you," he said, his orange-covered arms folded impishly over his flat chest. Naruto met my gaze; his heated blue eyes against my fiery obsidian ones. I stood from my kneeling position, straightening my back, and letting a slightly _bitter_ smirk stretch across my face.

"Sasuke..."

~~~*~~~

**Author's Note: I'm sooorryyy! I've been really sick these last few weeks. I meant for this chapter to be up much sooner, so that I could meet my hope of finishing this story before December, but it doesn't look like that will happen now. Anyways, there are only two more chapters left after this one, and **_**maybe**_** a short epilogue. Maybe. Thank you for reading. :)**


	11. Either Way I Lose

Stay With Me

~Chapter 11 – Either Way I Lose~

~~~*~~~

"Sasuke," he said, disbelievingly. His sharp, fiery eyes fixated on me as I stood up from my crouching position, returning his gaze.

"Naruto," I acknowledged back, my voice a bit strained.

In all honestly, I was beyond relieved. Knowing he was here was one thing – actually seeing him was entirely different. I felt a surge of longing thicken in my chest, with an unexplainable desire to call him a dumbass and playfully smack him over the head, like old times. Those things were familiar in this new, unfamiliar place. And I ached for them.

"You look like shit," He said, jumping down from his high tree branch and landing meters ahead of me, not once averting his eyes from mine.

"Nice to see you too," I muttered sarcastically.

"What the hell happened?" His voice didn't lack concern, even if it was as demanding and obnoxious as always.

"I fell."

"From a cliff?"

"Something like that," I shrugged.

He sighed and looked away, down at the ground. Suddenly the irritated and relieved complexion left his face, and he seemed troubled. Without looking at me he spoke,

"We… met up with a family in a village a few miles back. They said that a young boy with black hair was found by the river, after he had fallen from the cliff and a bridge had collapsed on top of him."

I didn't make a sound, or a movement. Naruto still wouldn't look at me.

"They said that after they healed him, he left to go find his older brother that had fallen off the cliff with him. But neither of them had come back. They said that they were both probably dead…"

His voice cracked, just slightly. He hid it well but I caught it anyway.

"I hoped it wasn't you… but I knew it was. And I was happy that it was, because then at least I knew I had a chance of finding you."

He started to step towards me, his eyes finally rising to meet mine again. But when I saw them, I wished I hadn't. So much was written in those eyes. Anger, despair, relief, loneliness. Naruto had missed me more than I had ever believed was possible.

Two things crossed my mind. Two things needed to be said. But I couldn't say them.

_I'm sorry._

"Sasuke… is it true? Have you really abandoned Konoha? Are you really allying with… with Uchiha Itachi?"

"He's my brother."

_I miss you, too._

"He's a murderer!" Naruto shouted, incredulously.

"…"

"How can you… how can you forgive him, after everything he's done? How can you accept things being like this?"

I didn't respond when he gripped my shoulders tightly, anger swelling in his usually untainted, determined eyes.

"Tell me it's a lie," he begged, "Tell me it's not true. Tell me." His voice was desperate and untrusting, differentiating completely from the norm.

"It's not a lie." I deadpanned, slightly lowering my gaze.

"Sasuke!" He growled, his grip tightening. "Tell me!"

"It's not a lie, Naruto."

A sharp, brutal pain spread through my jaw as my body was propelled backwards. I landed unceremoniously on the ground a few feet away, my left hand firmly placed over my soon-to-be-bruised cheek. Naruto stood in the same spot, his fist still clenched and his upper body heaving. He raised his eyes and glared at me, though I knew he was more depressed than angry.

I slowly shifted from a sitting position to a kneeling one, and then stood whilst wiping the tiny trail of blood from the corner of my lips.

"Are you kidding me?!" He yelled, fists clenched at his side; his arms and knees bent so that he was even shorter to the ground.

"What about us? What about everything that Team 7 has been through together? What about Konoha? You don't care about any of that at all?!"

"It's not that I don't care," my voice was cold, but I didn't mean it to be. "I just… I can't go back to Konoha, Naruto. Not ever. Whatever they told you is false… Konoha is the one who betrayed me. I can't go back."

_I can't go back._

_I'm sorry._

"What do you mean, Konoha betrayed you?" He asked. I didn't answer, then he stepped forward and touched my shoulders again – gently this time.

"Sasuke, tell me. What's going on?"

I swept his hands off of me, and looked away.

"Yes, tell us, Sasuke."

At the sudden deeper voice that resounded through the trees, both of our heads snapped up towards the highest branches and saw Kakashi, perched gracefully next to a flustered Sakura, who was holding her clenched hands firmly against her chest.

"Naruto!" she bellowed, angrily. "Did you _hit_ Sasuke-kun?!"

"So what if I did?! He's an idiot!"

"Sasuke-kun's injured!" She hollered, jumping down from the tree and landing a few feet from us.

"And he's gonna be comatose if he doesn't start talking soon!" Naruto replied, turning his gaze back to me.

Sakura glared to her heart's content and in the next moment, she was standing in front of Naruto; her fist collided with the golden spiky mop of hair, causing a goose egg to begin to form. "You twerp!" She roared.

And I had to keep myself from laughing. Nothing had changed, and I felt myself mentally sigh in relief for the umpteenth time that day. Naruto clutching his head in agony; Sakura peeved and holding a threatening fist above his head; Kakashi lazily slouched some feet away, with a bored expression – nothing had changed. And I was so glad.

_I can't go back._

"Sasuke," Kakashi's voice broke through my thoughts, "Are you ready to tell us what happened?"

In that moment Naruto and Sakura ceased bickering and looked at me expectantly, mirroring Kakashi's stern behaviour. For a fleeting second I wished I could disappear completely so I didn't have to reply to them. But I couldn't run away again, not this time.

"Well… I… we…" Where do I even begin? How do I tell them the truth? Will they believe me?

_I knew it from the very beginning._

_I knew this would make them hate me._

_But I didn't want to believe it._

"It was the ANBU black-ops… they tried to kill me."

Kakashi's and Sakura's faces starting frowning in disbelief and in contempt; Naruto's fists clenched and his eyes narrowed.

"They would never do that! Konoha wouldn't try to kill the last Uchiha and their most promising genin!" He cried.

"But they did, Naruto." I answered quietly. "Itachi protected me from them, but then we had no choice but to run. They chased us for miles until we got to the bridge – and they were the ones who cut it," I subconsciously raised my hand and began to stroke a particularly painful fading wound on my shoulder. "The only reason they aren't still chasing us is because they believe they succeeded… in killing us. That was their mission."

Kakashi let out a disappointed sigh; his eyes closed in contemplation as his head inclined downward. Sakura looked equally saddened, but Naruto was trembling with a barely controllable rage.

"But _why_?!" Naruto shrieked, his knuckles turning a sickly pale white. "Why would they—what the hell is going on?!"

I clenched my own fist and refused to look at him. I always had hated the way he affected me.

"I don't know all the details… I guess they were afraid that I would betray them someday."

"Follow in Itachi's footsteps…" Kakashi finished, opening his eyes and raising his head just slightly.

"Something like that." I concluded.

"But… it's gotta be a lie! Grandma Tsunade wouldn't allow this! She wouldn't!" Naruto's voice was shaking as much as his fists.

"That's because it wasn't the Hokage," I said. "It was the head of ANBU Root, Danzo, who made the order."

Kakashi's head snapped up and he looked at me anxiously. "He made that kind of decision without Lady Hokage's approval?"

"I guess so," I shrugged. "Like I said, I don't know all the details."

"Well this changes everything," Kakashi drawled. "If we report this to the Fifth, we can settle this matter and things can go back to normal."

"Yeah!" Naruto cheered.

"But…" I protested, shakily. "I don't…"

Naruto didn't hear me.

"This is great! Now we can go home and resume our training as Team 7!"

"Naruto, I—"

"I can't wait to see Danzo's face when Grandma Tsunade lets him have it!"

"But—"

"Come on guys! Let's hurry up and get home, so that we can tell Grandma Tsunade and—"

"_Naruto_! Shut up!" I barked, fisting my hand in preparation to bash his head in.

Shocked, Naruto and the others stared at me in mutual surprise. I stood there panting, my eyes narrowed and vicious as I clenched and unclenched my hands.

"Sasuke…?" Naruto asked slowly, a bewildered expression plastered over his abnormally pale face.

"I… I never said I'd go back with you." I breathed, undoing my angry visage for a more submissive one. More ashamed.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked dumbly.

"I can't just leave! Itachi's here!"

"Who cares?!" Naruto shouted angrily. "He killed your family! Are you honestly okay with that!?"

"I haven't forgiven him," I said in defence, though even before the words left my mouth, I regretted them. "I just… I found him, after all this time! He saved my life, I can't just—"

"But what about us?" It was Sakura's turn this time, and I felt my throat tighten when she flashed those overly big green eyes at me, silently begging.

"I haven't forgotten about any of you… but I can't just walk away after all this time."

"This is stupid!" Naruto growled, glaring. "What the hell has he done to you? Did he brainwash you or something? Since when have cared more about that demented murderer than us? I thought it was your goal to kill him! To avenge your family!"

"Things change, Naruto!" I snapped, completely fed-up with this pointless bickering. "Murderer or not, he's still my brother!"

"We're your friends! We're the ones who've always been there, day after day, we did everything together, and now you're going to just throw that all away?!"

"It's not like I never want to see you again! But how can you expect me to decide between my friends and my own brother?! This isn't exactly easy for me, you know!"

"It's not easy for us, either! We came all this way just to find you, you ungrateful bastard!" He shouted back, but he looked even sadder than I did. Sakura and Kakashi were silently sulking. Or maybe they were mourning.

An awkward silence settled between the four us; nobody moved, nobody spoke, and nobody looked anyone else in the face. Until Naruto said,

"So that's it, then? You won't come back with us no matter what?"

I looked into his eyes and felt my heart clench tighter than my fists. I looked away.

"God, I don't know… I need time to think." I admitted, bringing a hand up to rub at my temple to soothe my growing headache.

"We can give you time," Kakashi sighed, turning his back to us. "We'll go into town and stay here tonight. Tomorrow at dawn, we'll head back to Konoha. Meet us at the village gates with your answer. Does that sound good to you?"

"Yeah…" I said, closing my eyes. "That'll be enough… thanks."

Naruto didn't look satisfied, but for once, he didn't protest. Instead he turned and followed Sakura and Kakashi, looking back over his shoulder to give one last, longing glance.

When finally I couldn't see their backs anymore, I let out the breath I had been holding.

And then I felt my heart start to ache.

XXX

_Uchiha Shisui wasn't my favourite person. I didn't hate him, but he always seemed to come between my Nii-san's and mine alone time._

_I especially hated seeing Nii-san smile at Shisui when they were together._

_But maybe most of all, I was jealous because Shisui was bigger and older than me, and he could do things with Nii-san that I was too young and small to do._

_Like going on ninja missions, or sparring on equal ground, or having 'grown-up' conversations._

_So on early spring mornings when Shisui would come to the house and have breakfast with us, I hated having to sit next to Mom while Shisui took _my _seat next to Nii-san. I hated having to help Mom clean up while Nii-san and Shisui went out to train together. And I hated it when Itachi came home, too exhausted and drained to spend any time with me._

_But that's because I loved Nii-san, and I always wanted to spend time with him. I wanted to hurry and grow-up so that I could go on ninja missions (with Nii-san) and spar on equal ground (with Nii-san) and have 'grown-up' conversations._

_With Nii-san._

_And then one day, I wanted to completely surpass Nii-san. I wanted to be stronger, smarter, bigger, better, and completely above him in all ways._

_Because if Nii-san was 'below' me, then he would never be able to leave me behind._

_And for once, I would be the one taking care of and protecting _him_. If I could surpass him, then I would be shortening the infinite distance between us._

_The distance that keeps us eternally apart._

_Because more than anything – more than impressing Dad and honouring Mom – more than living up to the Uchiha symbol on my back – more than reaching the top of the ninja world – I wanted to be with Nii-san._

_I wanted to do everything that Shisui and Nii-san did together and more; I wanted to learn everything Nii-san knew and more. To surpass him, and in doing so, confining him to my side forever and ensuring that no matter what, he would never leave me._

_I wanted to bind us together so that nothing could tear us apart. Being brothers doesn't guarantee anything – blood may be thick but it's still a liquid. Liquids form the shapes of their containers and are never constant. They can't be trusted._

_With only the unreliable blood-bond between us, I could never be satisfied that I could be with Nii-san forever. With no guarantee to fall back on and no promise that I could fully trust, this feeling of uneasiness would never leave me._

_Somehow, I just couldn't take Itachi's word for it._

_I was too scared of losing him._

XXX

The trail back to our house seemed longer and darker than it had the last eight days I'd been living here. Maybe because I was walking at an unusually slow pace, with my head down. Or maybe it was because when I got home, I would have to face Itachi, and begin the long contemplation of my future.

Stay here with my brother, forever, and live out the best chance at my childhood dream I would ever have—

Or go back to Konoha with my closest friends, risk being assassinated, and live out the new dream that had replaced my old, abandoned one long ago.

Neither was so appealing – or maybe both were _too_ appealing. I didn't know anymore.

I should've asked Kakashi for more time to decide, but I suppose it wouldn't matter. It's not like I had many options. Either way, I would be losing someone I care about. And no matter what, I couldn't have both.

My brother and lover, or my best friends and teammates. Either way, I lose. Either way, I win.

The familiar home I knew, where I was being hunted, or the new, unfamiliar home where I was welcomed.

One was familiar, yet dangerous. The other was strange, yet safe. Again, a lose/lose win/win situation.

This wasn't getting me anywhere.

So in the end, I suppose it comes down to whom I love more.

Itachi. My brother, my lover, my saviour, and my closest intimate relationship.

Naruto. My teammate, my best friend, my rival, and my closest companion relationship. Along with Sakura and Kakashi too, of course.

Either way I lose.

I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to go back to Konoha at all. In all honesty, my heart was evenly torn in half – the dichotomy between my friends and my family. No one should ever have to make the impossible choice, but I do. And I hate it so very much.

Maybe I could find a way to… bring Itachi with us? No, that would never work. Danzo and the other Elders would never admit to making Itachi kill our clan, and it's unlikely that they kept any records of it. No one would believe us, and Itachi would be executed.

On the other hand, Naruto and the others would never agree to stay here. Sakura has a family in Konoha, and all three of them are fiercely loyal to the village. Plus, Naruto's dream of being Hokage would never be forfeited for my sake. And I would never ask him to.

Which path would lead to greater happiness?

1.) Staying here with the man I love, and resuming the quiet life of peaceful days and no true worries to speak of, except the never-ending grievances of my far-away teammates.

2.) Going home with the people I care about, and resuming the busy life of ninja missions and training where every day is exciting and hectic; but living with a feeling of emptiness that could never be filled.

The first is peaceful and dull – the second is stressful and thrilling.

(Either way, it's a lose/lose. Win/win.)

This was so fucking difficult.

No matter what, I would lose. I get that. But I don't want to lose any of them – I don't want to give anyone up.

The decision of my life will be made tomorrow.

The front doors of our glass house never looked so grave.

XXX

**Author's Note: **Next chapter is the last!! Holy crap. I can't believe it took me over eight months to (almost) finish this short little story. I'll try to be faster from now on with future stories. :D Thank you for reading!


	12. Healing Broken Hearts

Stay With Me

~Chapter 12 – Healing Broken Hearts~

~~~*~~~

Time is a strange thing.

It can pass in the blink of an eye, or take eternity to move forward. It gives life and takes life away, it makes the world spin and evolve, and it keeps going forever and ever.

It can strangle the breath right from your lungs.

I was having trouble breathing. The glass railing surrounding me on the hardwood balcony was radiating the sun's afternoon rays. The quiet sounds of ocean currents hung in the air like the scent of salt and white sand; bathing my resting place in a tranquil, melancholy status. But it's hard to appreciate glass architecture and the beauty of nature when your mind is as burdened as mine is.

It was such a surreal feeling, to know that this might be my very last day with Itachi. To know that tomorrow might be the last time I ever see Naruto. To know that the choice rests solely in my hands, and no matter what I choose, I will lose someone I love.

To know that I could love someone – other than Itachi – so deeply.

The sliding glass door was gently pulled open behind me, and the sound of quiet footsteps approached me, but I didn't turn around to greet my visitor. I remained standing against the railing, staring into the cobalt water. My face didn't betray the heavy beating of my heart inside my chest; the strangling feeling of anxiety and time moving too slowly was sucking the breath from my lungs.

"Sasuke,"

Itachi came and stood directly behind me, and I heard him release a dismal sigh before he glumly said,

"We need to talk."

XXX

"_Nii-san?" Sasuke asked, curling up next to me in my single-sized bed. It was late and we were tired, but it wasn't unusual for us to sleep together._

"_Yeah?" I asked, pulling him closer to me and feeding off his body warmth._

"_Shisui-san is your best friend, right?"_

_I thought for a moment and then nodded, carefully replying, "Yeah, I guess he is."_

"_Does that mean you love him?"_

_I paused at the sudden query. Sasuke was talking strangely tonight…_

"_I love Shisui because he is my kin as well as my closest friend," I replied, silently requesting to let the subject go._

"_What about me?"_

"_What about you?"_

"_Do you love me like that, too?" He all but whispered, his light pink lips barely moving as he spoke. I resisted the temptation to silence him by pressing my lips against his…_

"_I love you, but in a… different way," I whispered, rubbing my thumb gently across the material of his pyjama shirt._

"_What kind of way?" He replied, shifting closer to me._

"_I love you because you're my brother and my precious person," I said, giving in to the temptation and kissing him gently on his lips. He let out a small gasp as I detached my lips and began to kiss his cheek, along his jaw line, and slightly down his neck._

"_That means I love you twice as much as everyone else."_

_I felt him shudder as I kissed down his neck, across his collarbone, gently pulling his nightshirt down to reveal more of his innocent, soft skin. Sasuke was breathing heavily, his tiny hands fisting my shirt as I rolled to slightly lie over top of him. His face was flushed in red shades and his eyes were shut. I leant up and kissed his lips slowly, kneading them against my own. Sasuke followed my lead and pressed his mouth against mine willingly, breaking apart for air in a reoccurring cycle._

"_That means," he panted; burying his face into my neck and pulling me against him, so I couldn't kiss him anymore, "you'd never choose to be with Shisui-san over me?"_

_This was the question I desperately wanted to avoid, but I knew it would lead here sooner or later._

"_Sasuke, I could never choose anyone over you, but…"_

"_But…?"_

_I sighed, rolling onto my back and dragging him with me, forcing him to lie across my torso._

"_It's hard for people to choose between two people they love. Even if you love one more than the other, both of them still have a piece of your heart that they will take with them. It's letting go of that piece that is hard for people."_

"_What if you let go of all the pieces?"_

_I smiled, and stroked his cheek. "That's called a broken heart, Sasuke."_

"_Do they heal?"_

_I nodded, and leant down to kiss his cheek again. "Yes, but only one thing can heal a broken heart."_

"_What's that?"_

_I touched the tip of my nose to his, and sighed contently, closing my eyes and inviting the sweet sense of sleep._

"_Time."_

XXX

"What is it, Itachi?" I asked tiredly, still keeping my back turned to him. The sudden, awkward feeling of him wrapping his arms around my chest forced me to acknowledge his presence. I turned my head to pressed my cheek against his, as he rested his chin on my shoulder.

"Tell me what happened," He whispered, gently squeezing his arms tighter around me. I opened my eyes, and turned my head to stare back into the glistening water.

"They want me to go back with them." I answered, taking a sigh. "But they're giving me until dawn tomorrow to decide."

"And have you decided?"

I didn't answer him – suddenly my throat felt very tight and all the air in my lungs was vacuumed out.

He waited, patiently, not releasing his grip. But when I refused to reply to him, he sighed. "I see." He said, and he stepped away from me. The cooling breeze was a shock to my now bare back, and my shirt did little in shielding me from the icy feeling.

I shivered, clasping my hands together on the railing to warm my fingers. Itachi stood beside me, facing the opposite way, resting his back against the rail and crossing his arms across his chest.

"I guess this is it, then." He said, with a subtly bitter tone.

"What's it?" I asked, not looking his way.

He didn't answer, but his hand obstructed my view, as he gently grabbed my chin and turned me to face him. My heart began to race when I looked into his eyes; seemingly endless and deep with infinite wisdom.

"Sasuke," his voice cracked – almost unnoticeably – "You know I love you twice as much as everyone else, right?"

I nodded, reaching up to take his hand in mine, pulling it away from my chin and squeezing his fingers with my own.

"And you love me just as much, right?" His voice seemed heavier, almost sullen, and unlike the usual monotonic purr he spoke with. I nodded again.

"Then listen to me." He said, squeezing my hand in his, hesitating, sighing, and finally meeting my gaze.

"Sasuke… go back to Konoha."

XXX

"_Time heals broken hearts?" he asked, resting his head against my chest._

"_Yep."_

"_No matter how broken they are?"_

"_That's right," I smiled, stroking the back of his head, smothering his dark, spiky locks of hair. "even if they're shattered in pieces, there's no broken heart that time can't heal."_

"_Nii-san?"_

"_Yes, Sasuke?" I whispered, groggily, feeling the persistent realm of sleep trying to engulf me._

"_Is it possible to give your whole heart to someone? Just as one big piece?"_

"_I guess so." I answered, cuddling further into my mattress._

"_But does that mean you don't love anyone else?"_

"_That's right." I let my hand fall onto the soft blankets, halting my obsessive stroking of his hair. "And that means that that person means more to you than your own life."_

_He was quiet for a moment, and I hoped he had fallen asleep. But of course, Sasuke would never fall asleep in the middle of one of our talks._

"_Do I mean more to you than your own life?" He whispered, so quietly, that it came out mixed with the silent sound of his breath. I opened my eyes and stared, quietly, at his peaceful face, as his breathing slowed and his eyes were shut. Just as I knew he was falling into oblivion, I smiled, and pulled him closer to me._

"_You mean more to me than everything."_

XXX

"Why?" I asked, not looking away from him, or the blank, void expression on his face. I felt my chest tighten and my throat constrict – the air was stolen from my entire body, suffocating my every cell and inviting comatose more every minute.

"It's what's best for you." He said, dropping my hands, letting them fall limply at my sides, hanging there as if they were soulless. "At first I was against it, but now I know that this is what's best."

"How can you say that?!" I shouted, abruptly shoving him in the chest. He stumbled back a few steps, but still no emotion crossed his features. "After everything we've been through! After _everything _we've done, you're willing to just… drop me off as soon as the chance arrives?! What if I don't want to go?! It's _my _choice!"

"Sasuke," he said, grabbing my shoulders not too gently, and I saw the flicker of frustration and—_pain?—_flash in his eyes. "Don't get upset. Just listen to me. I never intended to take you with me in the first place, but it was the only way to keep you safe. Now I understand that, even if you stay here, there's nowhere that Konoha can't find us. Kakashi won't keep this place's whereabouts secret from the Hokage."

"But you're here, Itachi! There's no way I'd be safer in Konoha! You could beat anyone that tried to come after us!"

"That's not true," he said, letting his eyes go slightly downcast, "and I won't risk turning this place into a battlefield. Besides, I have all the proof I need that you will be safe in Konoha."

"What proof?! Where's your proof?! What could you possibly believe is strong enough to—"

"Uzumaki Naruto."

My breath hitched, my fists clenched, my eyes dried and I forced myself to blink, almost rapidly, to moisten them.

"What about him?" I asked, confused.

"Think about it, Sasuke. Think about how difficult it must've been for him to get here. Think about how long he must've searched, how hard he must've tried… He was willing to go all the way to get you back. Devotion like that is rare to find, even among comrades. If he was with you in Konoha… even I couldn't protect you so well."

"Why do you seem so eager to get rid of me?" I whispered, feeling saltwater rise in the corners of my eyes, threatening to form droplets and spill down my cheeks. The sun was setting over the now golden waters, darkening the world in contrast to the bright orange and pink sky.

"That's not it," he whispered back, resting his forehead against mine. He released a shuddering breath, almost as if he was fighting to hold back tears as well. "But it's for the best. You should be with your friends, in the village where you were born and grew up in… where you can live the life you've always wanted."

We both had our eyes closed; Itachi's hands were lightly clutching my forearms, and my hands were holding his wrists, our foreheads touching, as I let a few warm drops run down my face.

"If you really think it's what's best," I forced myself to say, through my cracking voice, "then I'll go."

Itachi pulled me flush against him, crushing my body against his, and burying his face in my hair. I clutched him, desperately, longingly, pressing my face into his neck and letting the tears silently fall.

And I knew, through some strange insight I had gained, that he was crying too.

XXX

"_What do you mean, 'everything'?"_

_His voice seemed so far away, and I knew he was struggling to stay awake. Cicadas sang outside, the moon was hidden behind thick, black clouds, yet somehow everything outside the window seemed bright. I hugged him, relishing in the vivid scenery that only Konoha could portray._

"_The world," I whispered, rubbing his back, "because a world without you is a world where my broken heart wouldn't heal."_

"_Not even with time?" he breathed._

"_Not even with time."_

"_Why not?" but before he even finished, I knew he was asleep, beginning the nightly cycle of dreams and nightmares._

"_Because it would be as if time was standing still."_

_I kissed his cheek gently, one last time, and let sleep envelope me too._

XXX

The early morning air was quite cold compared to Konoha. Which was strange, because this was a coastal town that's entire western side was surrounded by the warm ocean waters.

A light indigo shade stretched from far to the east and faded back into a navy black in the west. The decorative lanterns that lit the streets paved the way from our house to the front gates. As Itachi and I walked, painfully slow, we hadn't said a word.

The sleep last night was restless and sparse. Neither of us could rest knowing that it would be our last time sleeping in the same bed, or even within hundreds of miles of each other.

My backpack slung over my shoulders was much lighter than it had been at the beginning of this journey. Itachi had bought me a new one, as well as new clothes, with the money he had saved here. I no longer had heavy weapons or survival gear to carry, which my back was thankful for.

As the village gates became visible through the first light's mist, a greater sense of apprehension and dread settled on both of our shoulders. We still had yet to say even so much as a word, or make a sound, opting to just stare at the damp dirt road that was leading to the rest of our lives.

It was so absurd. I wanted to stay. Itachi wanted me to stay. Why were we separating? Why was I leaving his side? Why did he want me to?

"_I love you twice as much as everyone else."_

Naruto's bright orange suit was the first thing I caught eye of next to the gates. And in spite of myself, it eased my anxiety. When he watched Itachi and I emerge from the mist, and saw the unmistakable straps of my backpack hanging over my shoulders, his face broke into an overjoyed smile, and he began to wave his arms and shout excitedly, until Sakura silenced him with a swift punch to the back of the head.

"_A world without you is a world where my broken heart wouldn't heal… because it would be as if time was standing still."_

When at last we arrived at the gates, I couldn't overlook Naruto and Sakura's smiling faces. I'd never seen them look so elated. Kakashi seemed to be as laid back as always, but even he had a certain glimmer in his eyes that was foreign to me.

"…_You are my most precious person…"_

"Man, you look tired!" Naruto grinned, playfully punching my shoulder. I resisted the urge to groan as his fist gently collided with one of my still bruised muscles.

"Naruto, quiet down! Do you have any idea what time it is?" Sakura barked, in a reprimanding voice that rivalled Naruto's in volume.

First thing in the morning and they're already driving me nuts, I thought. The strange, Déjà Vu feeling was comforting in a familiar way. But it didn't last long, as I sensed Itachi was about to turn and say goodbye.

Forever.

"This is it, Sasuke." Itachi said, resting a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to face him. The others became instantly silent, and all the joy turned to a gruelling tension. "Be careful. And stay out of trouble, okay?"

The most painful and difficult moment of my life was forcing my voice not to crack under Itachi's mourning gaze, or to not betray my emotions by holding back all the tears that threatened to fall. Resisting the urge to breakdown and beg to stay with him, to cling to him like my very life source, or to collapse into his lap and cry until all the moisture in my body dried; was by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

"I will." I replied, shutting away all my emotions and urges, and for a moment, Itachi almost looked disappointed.

"Good," He nodded, patting my head for the fraction of a second. He turned to Kakashi, "Take good care of him." He said. Kakashi kept his gaze and nodded, "You don't need to worry. I won't let anything happen to him."

"You have my thanks." Itachi replied.

There was a brief moment of silence, as I felt Itachi's hand slip from the top of my head, and those feelings of anguish and dread swelled back inside me.

"Well," Kakashi said, adjusting the straps of his backpack, "We better get going."

"Yes," Itachi nodded, taking a step back, "I wish you all a safe journey."

"Thanks," Kakashi remarked, turning on his heel to face the path ahead of us. "Let's go."

Naruto and Sakura followed suit, and I found myself frozen and unable to take the first step. If I took the first step, and walked away from Itachi, there wouldn't be a turning back. I wouldn't see him ever again. It would be goodbye… forever.

Naruto turned around, noticing my dilemma, and shot me one of his signature, reassuring smiles. "Come on, Sasuke!"

And I began to walk, slowly, but surely, away from Itachi and out the gates of my new home. Naruto's grin widened and he turned back around, trotting after Sakura. I took step after step, gaining speed and distance with each one, until I had walked almost fifteen feet. There I halted and felt frozen again. I couldn't turn around. If I looked at him I'd never be able to leave.

But I couldn't leave, not like this, not without really saying goodbye.

In an instant I turned on my heel, pivoting to face Itachi again, but I didn't let my eyes see his face. Instead I sprinted, as fast as I could, and slammed right into his chest. Somehow he was expecting it, and the moment my body collided with his, his arms were embracing me to the point of suffocation. Our eyes screwed shut, and we buried our faces in each other's necks, digging our nails into each other's backs desperately.

"I love you," he whispered in my ear, his warm breath sprayed against my neck. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," I said through a sobbing voice, but still a whisper, careful not to let the others hear me. "I love you. I don't want to go. I don't want to go…"

"You have to go." He whispered, tightening his grip. "You have to go, Sasuke."

"I know," I said, stifling my voice against his chest. "But I don't want to go. I want to stay with you!"

"You can't. You can't…" his hands began to pull me away from his chest, but I wouldn't look at him. "You have to go."

Tears were streaming down my cheeks, but I wouldn't dry them, not if they could prove to Itachi that I wanted to stay.

His hands touched my face, as his fingers traced my cheeks and wiped away the evidence of tears. We didn't move or speak, or even look at each other, until my face was completely dry.

"Go," he whispered.

I shut my eyes, closed my heart, and spun around, chasing after Naruto and Sakura as fast as my legs would carry me—

—carry me away from Itachi.

And when at last my legs carried me back to their side, I could almost hear the faint sound of his voice whispering goodbye, though I knew he never said it.

~~~*~~~

**Author's Note: **Okay, I lied. This is not the last chapter!!!! This chapter was just getting too long, so I cut it off here. Do not fear; it won't end this way. Next chapter is almost done. :D


	13. Goodbye

Stay With Me

~Chapter 13 – Goodbye~

~~~*~~~

_The house smelled strangely sweet when I returned home, which was odd, because Mother didn't usually bake things until well into the winter. To my surprise, it wasn't Mother baking at all, but Sasuke who was in the midst of pulling a pie out of the oven when I arrived home._

"_Sasuke?" I asked, walking up behind him, "What are you doing?"_

"_I made a pie!" he said happily, pulling the mediocre-looking pastry from the oven and setting it on the cooling rack. It was quite obvious that Sasuke had made it all by himself, considering the kitchen was a mess and the pie itself was rather ugly._

"_Why? You don't like sweets." I said, approaching the ugly pie to inspect it further._

"_But you do." Sasuke said, pulling the oven mitts from his hands. "And apple pie is your favourite."_

_I looked at him, surprised, and turned around to scrutinize the pile of apple skins and poorly chopped cores._

"_You made this for me?" I asked, picking up a few dirty bowls and placing them in the sink._

"_Sort of." Sasuke said, following my lead in the clean-up. "I wanted to show you something."_

"_Does mother know about this?" I asked, turning on the faucet to fill the sink with soapy water._

"_Not exactly." Sasuke admitted shyly, as he scraped the apple remains into the garbage can. "But I didn't burn the house down, right? So as long as I clean up, it won't be a big deal."_

"_I guess," I agreed, scrubbing the cutlery in the sink. When all the dishes had been washed and dried, and the counter had been cleaned and wiped, Sasuke grabbed a knife and placed the pie on the table. I stood close behind him, and watched as he began to divide the pie into slices._

"_Watch," he said seriously, dragging the knife from the edge of the pie to the centre, and then he turned the blade, and pull it left of the first incision, leaving approximately 6/8 of the pie uncut. From there he divided the small slice again into two more slices; so by the end of it there were two tiny slices and one huge slice._

"_See, Nii-san? This one is your piece!" He beamed, pointing to the huge slice of uncut pie._

"_What?" I asked, astonished, "It's huge! I'll never eat all that," _

"_Then don't," he laughed, as he scooped the two small pieces onto two small plates and set them on the table._

"_Who are those pieces for?" I asked, as Sasuke handed me the gigantic piece of pie still in the pie plate. _

"_Mom and Dad." He said. "Get it, Nii-san? The pie is like my heart. And I'm giving the biggest piece to you, because I love you the most!"_

_And though I didn't mean to, I couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous and brilliant ideas that filled my little brother's head._

_A child's logic, I suppose._

"_Thank you Sasuke," I said and smiled, leaning down to kiss his forehead chastely. "I love you."_

"_I love you, too, Nii-san."_

XXX

I didn't bother to look back, not until I knew the village would no longer be in sight. By the time I convinced myself to look behind me, the sun was high in the sky, and nothing but hills of forests and the river alongside us greeted me.

Itachi was officially gone from me.

Occasionally Naruto or Sakura would try to engage me in conversation, but eventually they took the hint that I wasn't interesting in conversing with them. As the sun rose higher and the day became hot and tiring, my pace began to slow immeasurably compared to the others. When noon came Kakashi called a lunch break, which I was undoubtedly grateful for.

"This is fun, huh?" Naruto said, pulling out his bento lunchbox. "We haven't travelled like this as a team in forever!"

"You're right," Sakura agreed happily, opening up her lunch. "It feels like it's been years."

"It's been less than three months," Kakashi said from the tree branch above us, as he sat eating his lunch, concealed by the tree's leaves.

I didn't say anything as I picked slowly at the lunch I had packed myself, feeling too depressed to be hungry.

"What's wrong, Sasuke-kun? You're barely eating anything." Sakura leaned closer to me and inspected the lunch I had made. "Do you want some of my sashimi? I have rice balls, too."

"No thanks," I sighed, and put away my now _very _unappetizing meal. "I'm just not that hungry."

"Oh… okay." Sakura said, turning back to her own lunch.

"Hey, what about me?" Naruto pestered, scooting close to Sakura. "Don't I get any of Sakura-chan's rice balls?"

"Naruto, get away!" Sakura growled, elbowing Naruto in the ribs. "You're too close!"

"Oww, Sakura-chan!" Naruto groaned, rubbing his bruising ribs. "What was that for?" he looked over at me, though I wasn't really paying attention to their hooliganism.

"This is all your fault, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, in his usual joking way, though at this point, it was just the last straw.

I stood up, abruptly – _angrily_ – and swung my backpack over my shoulder as I stared Naruto down. "Well I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask for you to come get me! I didn't ask for you to spend weeks searching for me! Did it ever cross your mind that I was _happy _staying with Itachi?! That for once in _five_ _fucking years_ I felt complete again?! Of course not! You only care about yourself!" I raged, spilling out all of my pent-up frustrations at Naruto, letting him take the beating _again _for my own shortcomings.

"What the hell's your problem, you asshole?!" Naruto shouted back, standing to meet my angry gaze at an equal level. "How can you call _us_ selfish?! We came all this way to save your stupid ass! We thought you were _dead_! We thought your crazy murderous brother _kidnapped _you! What did you want us to do, just leave you out in God-knows-where to die all by yourself?! We came because we care about you, you stupid ungrateful jerk!"

"And the moment you got here you demanded that I came home, even though the elders of Konoha want me dead, and you knew I wasn't in danger anymore! You saw that I was alive and well but you _still _insisted that I give up my only brother just to come home to you! How could you be anymore selfish?! I was _happy _until you came around!"

"Well _excuse us _for wanting to be with you! You're right Sasuke; _how dare _we care about you enough to want to be around you! _How dare _we like you enough to come all this fucking way, just to find you! What horrible friends we are!"

"I never asked you to like me!"

"Well I _do!_" Naruto shouted infuriately, clenching his fist at his side. "I _do _fucking like you! Even though you're the most stubborn, conceited, and biggest asshole I have _ever met, _I like you! And I wish I didn't!"

And then we were silent, and Sakura sat on the ground below us, watching with large, frightful eyes and holding her hands in front of her, and Kakashi was no longer hidden away, but was perched on the tree and observing the fight, ready to intervene if things got physical.

But now neither of us really knew what to say, so we just continued to glare, until the angry and hurt look in his eyes was too much for me.

"You don't understand," I said quietly, looking away, "Itachi's my brother. My only family. He's been the most precious person to me since before I was even born. And now I… I won't ever see him again…"

And this was the first time that an outsider would see my weakness; would see me fall apart in front of them. For the first time, someone other than Itachi or my parents watched me breakdown and cry like a snivelling child.

Collapsing on my knees, and covering my face with my hands, I didn't even bother to hold back the tears anymore. What would it matter now? The world had been taken from me. I had nothing left to lose.

"God, what have I done?" I asked, as silent tears soaked my palms, and I resisted the urge to just collapse onto the ground entirely. "I left him. I left. And now I… won't see him anymore…" My body shook; trembled with the exertion of holding back my meltdown, as shuddering breaths narrowly escaped my lungs. Sakura was beside me in an instant, rubbing soothing circles on my back, and Naruto was still standing there, though I could tell that he was no longer angry, but instead felt concern, and maybe a bit guilty.

"It's not too late, you know…" He spoke up, though the tone of his voice betrayed his words. "You can still go back."

"No I can't," I said, "I wouldn't do that to you."

"But look at what _we're _doing to_ you!_" he said, fisting his hands, "We're not even three miles from him and you're already falling apart! I feel bad!"

"I'm sorry," I said, dryly, though I truly did feel remorse for starting this fight in the first place.

"Are you blind?" He asked, grabbing my wrist and pulling it from my face, then he dragged me to my feet and out of Sakura's hands.

"It's obvious that you don't want to go." He said, "And yeah… I guess I understand that you still want to see us and stuff, but… only you know what's best for you. You gotta do what you gotta do!"

I couldn't help but smile – genuinely – at the brilliant speech of a true idiot. "When did you get so philosophical?" I asked jokingly.

"Don't judge _me_, you cry-baby." He grinned, his eyes glowing with mock-victory.

"Shut it, you loser!" I snapped, returning the friendly shoulder-punch from this morning.

Kakashi jumped from the tree and landed beside us, standing next to Sakura who was standing now as well. I looked at them, and then back to Naruto, who smiled like the idiot he is.

"So then Sasuke, what are you going to do?" Kakashi asked, and all three of them looked at me.

I paused for a moment, and looked at Naruto, letting his words caress my thoughts like a lullaby.

"I'm going back." I said, looking back at Kakashi, "Back to Itachi."

"Is that your final decision?" he asked, a bit gloomily.

"Yes."

The three of them looked at each other, each of them was obviously sad, but at the same time, no one was as devastated as I'd predicted they'd be.

"Well then," Kakashi said, placing his hand on my shoulder. "Want us to walk you back?"

"No, you guys keep going. I'll be fine."

Kakashi nodded, and beneath his mask, I could tell he smiled. "Then this is goodbye."

"Yeah… this is goodbye."

Sakura had tears streaming from her eyes, and I knew this must've been hard for her. I touched her shoulder gently, and then was bombarded by her small, slender body, and her monstrous strength crushed me in a paralyzing grip.

"I'll miss you…" she whispered gently, pulling away from me. I awkwardly embraced her back, and offered her a sincere parting smile. "Yeah, me too."

And then I turned to Naruto, whose head was slightly down. At first, I thought he was weeping, but as I stepped towards him, and he raised his head, I saw something more than sadness shining in his cobalt eyes.

Determination, and a fighting spirit I had always admired.

"This isn't really goodbye," he said, in an absolute tone of voice. "Because when I become Hokage, I'll expose the truth to the whole village! Then you and Itachi can come home." He said, and smiled, the most genuine smile I had ever seen grace his features. "So just wait for that day, okay? Wait for me. I'll be back to get you. And Itachi."

"You're a loser," I said, but I couldn't keep a straight face, and the next moment we were embracing and neither of us knew who had initiated it.

"You better keep your promise, 'cause I'll be waiting for you."

"I will. I promise."

And as we pulled away, both of us turned our heads to wipe the moisture from our eyes, embarrassedly.

"Until then, goodbye." He said, and the strain in his voice gave way to the fact that he was holding back tears.

"Yeah," I whispered, wiping my eyes one last time. "Goodbye."

XXX

It was the late afternoon by the time I reached the village gates. The sun would be setting soon, I knew. I did my best to keep a swift, steady pace, though my fatigue was weighing me down substantially.

A feeling akin to hunger was stirring in my stomach, though I liked to think it was just the emptiness of being without Itachi for these last few hours. Excitement and nervousness mixed and swelled inside my chest, constricting the blood flowing through my heart. My anxiety had dissolved into a strange feeling of numbness, which was fine with me since anxiety is always hard to deal with.

The winding path that lead right through the village centre was bursting with busy townspeople, who would occasionally give me strange looks as I speed-walked through the crowds. Now and then, someone would call out to me, though I tried to avoid the conversation as much as possible and focused on getting home. For whatever reason, now that I had actually made it back to the village, it seemed to be taking so long to get home. I hurried past all the shops and pedestrians to the outskirts of town, and the forest trail that lead to the beach, and the cliff-side acreage where our glass house resided. I leapt into the trees and began to dash from branch to branch, speeding at an almost unsafe pace through the woodland coniferous.

When the end of the trail was in sight, and I could the see the white-gold shine of the sand, my heart began to beat so hard that I could feel every vein in my body throb. The sand felt cool against the tops of my feet, where my sandals exposed my skin. With the glowing glass walls only metres away, I ran up the hill of black rock and halted in front of the massive dark-wood door.

The copper handle glistened, and my hand tightened around it, before I swung it open forcefully. Zero hesitation – this was the right thing to do. This was my choice, and I was going to see it through to the end.

The house was dark, and in that moment, all my hope and excitement dive-bombed to the depths of my soul and burned; disappointment and dread sparked then burst to life like a raging inferno fuelled by the thickest gasoline.

Itachi wasn't here?

I ran through the halls, checked all three bedrooms, every bathroom, the living room, the kitchen, every nook and crevice, and yet no sign of Itachi remained.

The last place, the only one I hadn't checked, was the balcony.

I slid the glass door open, and was met with the empty wooden deck that extended from the empty glass house. Dejected, I walked, slowly, to the front of the veranda and peered out at the ocean, and the glorious blue water that reflected every ounce of sunlight that rained on it. My eyes filled with moisture for the umpteenth time that day, and the prospect of never seeing Itachi again weighed down on my shoulders like an iron shadow.

And in that instant, like the sun breaking the clouds to deliver its light, my eyes were drawn to the sandy shore at the base of the rocky cliff, and they fixed on the lone figure of a young individual standing in the shallow salt waters.

An individual that was dressed in a strangely familiar attire; with long, black hair that was tied up at the back, and pale skin that contrasted with the deep blue of the sea water.

My heart leapt in my chest; the beat picking up again, the fires that destroyed my hope extinguished and my hope was reborn, with all the passion of those fires feeding it.

Suddenly, and in a moment of unplanned insanity, I clutched the railing and inhaled, filling my lungs with as much air as I could, before releasing it in the form of,

"IITAAACHIII!!!!!!!"

The figure jumped in momentary shock, then spun around abruptly and stared up at the balcony – at me. As the look of shock dissipated, his eyes began to fill with a cloudy look; and in its own way it was clear; a look of pure adoration and contentment, like I had given him the greatest sense of gratification.

"Sasuke?" He called, unbelievingly, as he remained frozen in the shallow waters. His feet were submerged in the translucent, crystallite water, and his eyes were fixated only on me.

Without thinking, I launched myself over the balcony railing and plummeted to the ground below – applying a light amount of chakra to the soles of my feet, letting me land comfortably. Kneeling in the sand, I watched as Itachi stepped out of the water, and continued to gaze at me. Impatiently I sprung to my feet, sprinting as fast as I could, intending to throw myself into his arms.

Itachi seemed to have the same idea, as he was running for me as well, and soon his body was pressed against mine, his arms were wrapped around my upper body, his face was buried in my hair, and his hands were firmly grasping my sides.

I clutched him; desperately clinging to whatever I could grab, holding him so tightly it was almost vicious.

"What are you doing here?" He asked – whispered, not once easing his grip. "Why did you come back?"

"I want to stay with you." I whispered. I pulled my head back and forced him to do the same; forced him to look into my eyes.

"I want to stay with you," I leaned forwards, standing up as tall as I could, trying to measure up to him, as my lips gently collided with his; pressing smoothly against his mouth. Then I pulled away, "because I love you."

"You'll be happier in Konoha." Itachi argued, dejectedly, unwillingly. "That's why I wanted you to go."

I shook my head, letting my hair fall in strands over my face. Itachi's hand came up to brush the strands away, caressing my cheek as he did so.

"I would never be happy without you. Can't you see that? Can't you see how much I need you?" I asked, feeling his hand still.

"What about your friends?" He asked.

"Naruto said he'd take care of it," I grinned, "after all, that idiot's going to be Hokage one day. If anyone can right the wrongs of a previous generation, it's him. We'll meet again one day. And on that day, _both _of us will be returning home." I kissed him chastely again, lowering myself to whisper,

"I need you with me, Itachi."

"So do I."

And then his lips were on mine, caressing mine. His tongue lightly brushed against my lips, which I opened to him, and let my tongue rub against his. His hands ran up and down my back as his fingers occasionally peaked beneath my shirt, and his thumbs stroked the loops of my belt. I arched against him, leaning my head back and inviting him to follow me, pressing the fronts of our bodies together and forcing my legs to wrap around his to keep me balanced.

I moaned, raking my hands over his shoulder blades, feeling his lips separate from mine and begin to kiss over my neck. His chaste, moist kisses left a tingly feeling spreading through my nerves; producing a ripple effect of pure pleasure. He found my weak spot – the junction between my neck and shoulder – and began to suck on it vehemently. The surge of delight made my fingers tremble and loosen the grip I had on his shirt, and my eyes desired to flutter closed, though I managed to keep them partly open.

I was panting quietly; sometimes a moan would escape with it. Itachi was smothering me in affection and wanton lust; pushing me slowly to the edge of desperation. My body was reacting to the stimulation, and as he pressed his body against mine, I could feel that his was, too.

Coming to my senses, I convinced myself to push Itachi away. The confused look on his face vanished when I took his hand in mine, and began to run back up the hill towards our house. He understood, and tightened his hold, running with me through the sand that was painted gold and amber beneath the setting sun.

The moment we pushed the door open, his lips were on mine, his body pressing mine against the door, closing it behind us.

XXX

"_Ne, Nii-san?"_

"_Hmm?" Itachi responded, looking up at me from the paper he had been writing on._

"_We'll… always be together, right?"_

_He blinked slowly then smiled, and beckoned me to lie beside him on the bed._

"_Sasuke," he began smoothly, his hands petting my head affectionately, "no matter what ever happens between us, we're brothers, and I love you. I'll always be with you, even if you can't see me…" he kissed my cheek and wrapped his arms around me, in a gentle hug._

"_Does that mean you'll stay with me forever?" I asked, nuzzling my face into his neck and sighed contently._

"…_Yes."_

"_Then promise." I said, resting my hand over top of his. "Promise you'll stay with me."_

_Itachi smiled, and lifted my chin upwards to face him, closing the distance between us when his sweet, lustful kiss smothered my childhood fears and disillusions._

"_I promise."_

XXX

The bed had never seemed so soft, or disarrayed. Itachi pressed me against the mattress – both of our shirts were already removed, as his steaming hot mouth ravaged my exposed skin. His lips left faint traces as they roamed over my torso, marking it, arousing it. I moaned, arched, and writhed beneath him as he bestowed his affection in small doses. But that wasn't enough, no, because I wanted Itachi to feel my affection, too.

So I sat up and pulled him with me, straddling his lap as I copied his previous actions and began caressing and kissing his upper torso while my hands felt his hardened nipples. Itachi threw his head back and gasped, then moaned, as I continued torturing him sensually with my lustful antics. I went further, sliding down his body as he leaned back to expose it all to me. My hands gripped the waistband of his pants, and began to slowly pull them down, as I kissed the taut, creamy skin of his abdomen.

"Sasuke," he moaned, "Ah…"

I unzipped his pants and yanked them down to his hips, where he assisted me in sliding them down his thighs. He quickly pulled them off when they reached his ankles and we assumed the earlier position. But as I reached for the hem of his boxers, his hand caught mine.

"No," he breathed huskily, "take yours off, too."

I nodded, and kneeled on the bed as my hands fumbled with the zipper. Itachi watched me with lust-filled eyes as I slid them past my hips and thighs, slipping my legs out and discarding them on the floor next to Itachi's.

When neither of us was wearing anything but our boxers, Itachi tackled me, pressing me flat between his body and the mattress, and his hand began to stroke between my legs. I moaned, shutting my eyes and wrapping my arms around his neck, as his hand began stroking harder and faster, making my body tremble and jerk upwards wantonly.

I gasped, wrapping my legs around his hips, thrusting against his hand in violent need, when he took it away. I felt his own hardness through his boxers press against mine; the friction that was created from rubbing them together made us both lose our heads. Itachi was done playing around, I could tell, when the thrusting stopped and he grabbed the elastic band of my shorts impatiently.

In a swift motion he pulled them down past my thighs, revealing my naked glory to only his eyes. He stared, lustfully, at the dripping appendage he had found. His hand came up to caress and stroke the base, gently, and I threw my head against the pillow and cried out in bliss. As he kept stroking, my own patience was wearing thin, and I too pulled down his boxers to free his leaking erection. My hand began to copy his hand's motions, as he sat straddling me, and I laid beneath him.

When I felt my release beginning to creep up on me, I began jerking my hand and my hips faster, crying out louder as pleasure surged in shockwaves all throughout my body. Itachi knew I was close, so he let his hand fall away from my manhood, and instead grabbed the backs of my knees and pressed them against my chest. I hooked my legs over his shoulders while he quickly coated two of his fingers with saliva. He brought his hand down to my posterior and began to prod the hole with his wet fingers, slipping them past the ring of tight tissue.

As he pushed his fingers inside of me I arched my back, wanting nothing more than to slam them further within me. We had done this about half a dozen times in all, and I was already used to the feeling of Itachi entering my body. It was strange how fast I had grown to it – how fast I came to enjoy it.

His fingers moved, stiffly, quickly, in and out of my opening until the tight muscles had stretched a bit. He removed his fingers and dropped my legs, letting them wrap around his waist again. I squeezed my arms around his neck, bracing myself as I felt the wet, velvety head of his cock press against my entrance. He slowly began to penetrate the orifice, but at an excruciatingly slow speed, so I bucked my hips down and forced the tip of his cock to ram deep into my opening. Itachi moaned, throwing his head back, as I winced and buried my face into his exposed neck.

When the burning sensation died down, Itachi began to slowly thrust his cock in and out, gaining speed with each buck of his hips. He kept penetrating me until he hit something – a bundle of nerves deep inside my ass – that made my vision cloud with searing white pleasure. I cried out; my nails dug into the soft skin of my brother's back.

Itachi began thrusting faster and harder, gripping my leaky cock with an iron fist and pumping it to match the rhythm of his impaling hips. Bombarded with an insane amount of physical delight, I screamed Itachi's name as my throbbing length trembled and released its stream of hot, sticky cum all over both of our stomachs.

Itachi groaned as I came and tightened around his erection, thrusting a few more times before following my lead and releasing himself inside my burning, tense canal. His breath came out in short, hard pants as he collapsed on top of me; both of us shutting our eyes to hold onto the moment, and trying to regain our breath.

When his breathing calmed Itachi raised his head slightly to place a chaste kissed on my cheek. I smiled tiredly and opened my eyes, gazing up at Itachi with all the love and devotion my heart could hold.

Yes, this was where I belonged.

Here, with him, forever.

He lowered his head and kissed me just as chastely, as a tired hand came to caress my dampened cheek. I returned his kiss and he smiled, leaning back to lock eyes with me as his hand stilled.

"Sasuke, promise me something?"

"What is it?" I smiled at him, stroking his fingers with mine.

"Promise you'll stay with me."

My smile widened; my heart jumped, and I raised my head to kiss him one more time.

"I promise."

~~~*~~~

**Author's Note: **Wow, it's actually done! Oh my goodness. This was a very long chapter indeed. Is anyone else sad that it's over? I am. This was my first chapter-fic. :s What a mixed feeling. But, I am so happy that so many people liked it enough to read the whole thing. :) Thank you so much everyone! I love you! And to prove it, I even wrote an epilogue. :D


	14. Epilogue

Stay With Me

~Epilogue~

~~~*~~~

"_Promise you'll stay with me?" _

_Oh, you don't have to ask me.  
You know you're all that I live for,  
You know I'd die just to hold you—  
Stay with you._

XXX

Life for the Uchiha brothers passed slowly, but not for lack of happening. They spent their days in town and amongst the villagers, each providing as much assistance as they had to offer.

Itachi was elected as the Chief of Law Enforcement soon after he joined the town's small police team. Sasuke went on to become a sort of businessman in the local markets – and eventually was managing his own general store with the help of a few friends he had made. Together they sold everything from food to clothing and furniture, and in a matter of weeks it became the most popular store in town.

Their lives had taken on an irresistible and tranquil status, though eventually, the day did come when Sasuke was well into his teenage years that they began to experience certain difficulties.

Sasuke no longer wanted to be on the bottom of their intimate relationship. Itachi, of course, denied his _absurd _notion, but after much bickering and over a month (a _month_!) without any sort of intercourse whatsoever, Itachi gave in to Sasuke's ridiculous request and let himself be topped.

As it turns out, Itachi didn't mind being topped as much as he believed he would.

He would never tell Sasuke that, of course.

Before either of them really knew it, an entire decade had passed, and they found themselves faced with the prospect of no longer being young and in the prime of their lives. When they had time to spare, they would often spar against one another, though neither of them really advanced so far in their skills. Sasuke still firmly believed he could pommel Naruto, though.

And speaking of Naruto, Sasuke would often let his mind wander back to Konoha and his old team, and he would contemplate Naruto's inevitable return. But on the eve of his twenty-fourth birthday on that warm July night, Sasuke was met with the ultimate surprise of a special birthday gift – delivered by Konoha's fastest letter-carrier hawk.

The gift was scribed on parchment paper, written in jet-black ink, and delicately neat cursive.

It was the paper they had been waiting for – the paper that promised them their right to return home to their birthplace. In detail, it described the events of Danzo and the two councilors' arrests, the unveiling of the truth of the Uchiha tragedy, the revolution of the Konoha citizens who rallied to restore the Uchihas' Estate, the removal of both Uchiha Itachi's and Uchiha Sasuke's name from the Bingo Book of wanted criminals, and most of all, the crowning of the sixth Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto.

The parchment was stamped and signed by Naruto himself.

As marvelous as the gift was to both of them, it was hard to say goodbye to their newly made comrades, whom in a way, they had grown even closer to than their old ones. But both of them knew where it was they truly belonged – the place they had to go back to; their homeland. They sold the glass house and donated half of the money to the town's benefactor, who used itto repair several of the village's deficiencies. Sasuke passed the business on to his friends, and Itachi promoted his best underling to Chief. A warm parting ceremony greeted them as they walked out those village gates for the final time, taking only those cherished memories with them.

The journey back to Konoha was a breeze compared to their last adventure; they even stopped to say hello to that nice couple that had nursed Sasuke back to health, and of course their beautiful daughter, who was now almost a teenager, instantly fell in love with both of the Uchiha brothers.

But their greatest loves, always had been and always would be saved for only each other, and though they entered Konoha's gates and were received by a welcoming crowd, their hands were intertwined behind their backs where no one's eyes could spy them. They resumed the lives of shinobi, and as the years passed and Naruto became a husband and then a father, Sasuke stood by his side, as his "royal bodyguard" – the Captain of the Hokage's personal ANBU squad. Itachi took Danzo's place and reestablished the Root division, though all unlawful scheming was abolished.

And at the end of the day, both of them would revisit their family graves, and every winter they would stroll through the graveyard and sweep the snow off of the tombstones with gloved hands, and every winter Sasuke would find that special tree to sit beneath, and Itachi would come find him and bring him home to a warm dinner and a tender embrace.

Sasuke also became a better pie-baker, much to Itachi's delight.

Their world had changed, forever, and every year they grew older and more reserved. They watched the newborns of the village grow to genin, and then chuunin, and jounin, and eventually those newborns were working under them in their ANBU squads. Naruto's firstborn son had taken a shine to Sasuke, who mentored him all throughout his childhood and adolescent years.

And although some people questioned why it was that neither Sasuke nor Itachi ever married to rebuild their clan, no one ever figured out the true reason that the Uchiha brothers kept to themselves until their days of retirement, when their bodies no longer let them carry out the duties of exceptional shinobi.

No one, except for a certain blonde idiot, who always caught his best friend's eyes stray to his older brother's most coveted features; who always saw their intertwined hands hidden behind their backs.

Because Naruto loved Sasuke, and would never judge him, he kept that secret with him till the day of his death and thereafter, burying it with him in his grave.

Itachi died 48 years after they returned to the village, and Sasuke followed him only a day and two minutes later.

XXX

_Somehow, I'll show you,  
That you are my night sky.  
_

_I've always been right behind you,  
Now I'll always be right beside you._

~~~*~~~

**Author's Note: **Well, that was it. I hope you enjoyed it; it was such a pleasure to write. The italics at the beginning and end of this epilogue are the lyrics to the song "You" by Evanescence, which inspired this story.


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